Butterfly Wings
by Celadonya
Summary: A troubled orphan with a tragic past. A handsome prodigy with a planned death. And several appearances of unfortunate omens. What surprised him most was how much she needed him. NejiTen.
1. Help

**a/n**: Hello, readers! Call me Celestine's Moon, Moon, Tine, Cel, Lestine, Oon, really I don't care (although I prefer Cel haha). This is my very first fanfic, NejiTen of course! This is a bit of a mystery, angsty kind of story but definitely romance. Starts off a bit slow but I hope you like it! :)

**disclaimer: **My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto. XD

~Cel:3

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
**CHAPTER 1  
**~Help~

One glance and somehow I knew that he would be the one to save me from the darkness.

_My mother always warned me not to touch the fragile, delicate wings of a butterfly because then terrible things wo__uld happen. Thin and papery, translucent when light hit it at just the right angle; they looked like living breathing pieces of stained glass, feather-thin sugar-spun creations. She said if I happened to even graze the wing, it would hurt the frail creature, unable to ever fly again._

_I would heed her warning and stay far away from fluttering butterflies but I was never content with watching from a distance. Each and every butterfly that danced by would somehow repel the telepathic pleas I sent it, wanting it to come closer so I could have a better look._

_Their wings were a rainbow of colors and hues, shades and tinges, covering the span of the whole color spectrum. Glistening and glittering like tiny gems attached to their insect bodies, I longed to have one just for my own. A butterfly wing I could keep by my bedside table, the last thing I saw before I fell asleep, the first thing I saw after I awakened. _

_I would plead to my mother – because in my young mind, it was only she who could grant me the permission to touch such a rare beauty – asking her if I could just stroke it just once. A quick stroke, less than a millisecond, I would plead._

_But she remained firm. "If you touch it, a horrible thing will happen: the butterfly shall never fly again. It will be stuck on the ground forever, never again to roam the skies freely. In a way, it will be trapped, hindered by its own fragility. Do you want to be the cause of that, Tenten?"_

_Wide-eyed, I'd shake my head 'no, I would never do such a thing' and be satisfied for a few days. However, my longing would swell until I felt myself shaking every time that beautiful insect was within eyesight. My fingers twitched with want and desire._

_And so one day, when my mother was in the house preparing my supper, I snuck out and waited by the flowers that bordered the pathway into our backyard forest, breathing in the sweet smell of springtime nectar. Before long, a butterfly floated to me, its wings the color of pure sapphires and blue-green waters._

_In my hand, I offered it the largest, most vibrant flower I could find and after flitting around for a moment, the butterfly landed softly on a fuchsia petal. I held my breath as it explored the blossom, finding the best spot to drink the nectar and I could barely contain my excitement. Opting that the flower was tilted on such an unfortunate angle, the butterfly inched its way onto my thumb where it perched and began drinking the nectar._

_I gave a gleeful shout and dropped the flower suddenly. The butterfly was still, perhaps finally realizing that it had been tricked into wandering onto a predator's hand. Slowly, painstakingly, I reached out a forefinger and touched the wing. The butterfly moved slightly but remained immobile._

"_How wonderful," I breathed. "Mother was wrong. The butterfly's wing won't be broken!"_

_In a stroke of boldness, I pinched the wing between my thumb and forefinger and picked the poor thing up._

_It flailed and thrashed around so much that I dropped it in fright. It lay on the floor for what seemed like the longest time before it began gingerly opening and closing its wings, the one I had grasped clearly broken beyond repair. Vainly it tried to take flight, to escape from my presence – I couldn't blame it – but gravity dragged it down._

"_I told you, didn't I, Tenten?"_

_I looked up and then away in shame, unable to look my mother in the eye, unable to admit that she was right and I was once again wrong._

"_The wing is broken now, darling. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to put the thing out of its misery."_

"_You mean, kill it?" _

"_It would be better than to watch it suffer."_

_I shook my head vigorously and my mother sighed, taking my hand and lifting me up off the ground. She hummed as she dusted off my clothes, giving me a wide smile. "Then come inside. Your father should be home soon. He's been gone a long time but kept his promise that he'd be home for your birthday. Why don't you run upstairs to freshen up before he returns?"_

_Nodding, I raced up the stairs and locked myself in the bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror. I, a mere girl of six, had killed a butterfly. Being as young as I was, I didn't realize how ridiculous it was for me to stand in front of my reflection and insist many times over that I was a butterfly murderer. _

_Downstairs, I heard a slight ruckus but thought nothing of it. My mother was never the most graceful of people, a walking accident zone she would call herself. _

_When I was tired of self-accusations, I splashed water on my face and stripped off my dirty clothes, replacing them with a change of clean clothes. I ran down the steps two at a time, preparing myself to greet my father as soon as he returned. _

_However, downstairs, my mother was taking a nap on the floor, her normally neat hair tussled in all directions. The marinara sauce must have also spilled under her, oozing out from underneath her limp body._

_As I walked around her, I was shocked to see her eyes, glassy, empty, devoid of any emotion, feeling, thoughts…life._

_Death was a foreign idea for me and therefore, took a while to register in my brain that my own mother had succumbed to it._

_The pounding in my ears was deafening, beating along with my rapid heartbeat. Staggering, I took a step back and raced to the front door, prepared to shout for help, but a piece of paper caught my eyes. Bending down, I picked it up and read the four words written in a familiar scrawl._

I'm not coming back.

_Balling up the paper furiously, I ran blindly out the back door and into our yard, pausing by the flowers where the butterfly had died. The wings were still beautiful, even in the light of this tragedy._

"_This is all your fault," I sobbed, stooping over it and ripping off the wing._

_Without a backwards glance, I ran into forest, leaving my life behind._

_My mother had been right._

_If I touched a butterfly wing, terrible things would happen._

* * *

She crept through the shrubbery, barefoot, the soles of her feet unfeeling to the jagged edges of the rocks she trod upon. It was the dead of night, so deep into the country side that city-lights were nonexistent, allowing the pinprick stars to shine as bright as they possibly could. The air around her was silent and still, as if the whole world was holding its breath, silently cheering her on or wishing her downfall.

Whatever the Fates were planning, she was sure of one thing: the large summer villa that was settled in the valley far below her was sure to have food, food that would help her to survive.

She made her way to the lowest window and peered in. It was desolately empty, save for a few empty bookshelves. The next window was just as disappointing; a bedroom that was covered with numerous layers of dust. Each peek into the villa was less and less promising, until the girl had to admit defeat.

Slumped against the wall, she sat in the dirt, pondering what to do next. She had been so sure that she had seen people arriving the day before. She had discovered this building not too long ago and had been keeping an eye on it. Rich people often dined on finer food than the middleclass or the poor. Of course, being a homeless child, there wasn't much room for complaint.

But no, she was no longer a child. If her memory served her well, and it did, she would be sixteen in a matter of days. In a few days, exactly a decade would have passed since that fateful night.

Ten years had worn down the edges of her memory and, along with shock and fright, the finer details were fuzzy. She had also been young, naïve, unaware of the tragedy that had befallen her. Only when she had settled herself against the roots of an ancient tree did she realize what a nasty predicament she was in.

No home.

No food.

No family.

She really was going to die.

However, the next morning she had woken up to find the sapphire butterfly wings to be crumbling and falling apart and that gave her courage. The source of her misfortune was dying and soon her luck would return. And so, with renewed vigor, she had slurped the dew drops from the leaves and set out into unknown territory.

For the next ten years, she found herself doing odd jobs for a few pieces of bread, even earning a dollar here and there when her employers were especially kind. She didn't stay anywhere long; she quickly learned that not many people wanted a young girl around, that the world wasn't a kind place in general, especially for six-year-old orphans.

Pretty soon, she had learned to steal and not to depend on others as a sort of middleman for nourishment. No, if she was going to survive, she would have to get everything she could and get it fast, before others did.

During the nights, it was lonely, only her, her dreams, and mismatched memories that more often than not, left her terribly confused. What really went on that night? Were her memories befuddled simply because of her youth, a sheer fright? Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was her mother bleeding on the floor and her father's cursed note.

_I'm not coming back._

The only thing she was able to remember was her name, Tenten, and that she was supposed to live. Things were not supposed to turn out this way. She was supposed to live.

Not die, but live.

Everything was a mistake, a tragic mistake that would never be undone.

It was a mystery to her, a taunt from the forces of the universe, a challenge even.

_Find out what happened._

She needed to delve deeper into the mysteries, deeper than she had been going for the past decade. A fiery passion inside of her was convinced that the time was not yet right for the secret to be revealed. She had to keep holding on in order to find the truth.

And as she sat there, reminiscing in her past, she saw a monarch butterfly soar past and her heart began to pound. What was such an atrocity doing here?

Ever since then, her love of butterflies had mutated into an ethereal hate for them, fueled mostly by fear. What did this mean? Would she be caught? Or would something even worse happen?

"I have to get out of here," Tenten muttered to herself, pulling herself into a crouching position.

Just as she did that, the front door of the villa opened to reveal a handsome young man. His skin was pale, flawless, and contrasted beautifully with his dark, dark hair that swung around him like a curtain of black silk. Celestial was the only word to describe his eyes, white and glowing like the moon that hung above him. High cheekbones, defined jaw line, and a refined nose completed his picturesque façade.

Tenten cursed in her mind and began heading towards the tree-line when the sound of his voice made her stop. "I know you're there."

His voice, it knocked the wind out of her lungs, made her heart stop. Smooth, silky, alluring; she didn't know how to describe it. It was deep and confident and reminded her of a proud man she had once seen, boasting that he had won some spectacular prize, before she had plucked his wallet.

Shaking her head once, Tenten dropped lower to the ground and began to army crawl her way back into the leafy sanctuary, praying that the shadows would hide her sufficiently.

"Stupid, I can see you."

However, she suddenly felt a great weight on her lower back and thrashed out, trying to fend off her attacker. This young man was dreadfully strong and Tenten knew that she had no chance but still she fought and bit and scratched and kicked until they had rolled out of the shadows and were illuminated by the moonlight.

The young man looked down at the trespasser and was thoroughly surprised to see that she was a girl and not an assassin as he had thought. In fact, even if she was the enemy, there was no way an assassin could pull off that haunted, hunted look that her brown eyes held, no matter how trained or good of an actress she was. No, he had been wrong.

Quickly, he climbed off of her and looked away. "Sorry," he shot out most unapologetically.

Tenten scrambled farther away from him but couldn't quite leave him yet. Even if he had attacked her, she was intrigued by him, perhaps even fascinated.

"Are you lost?" He still wouldn't look at her, finding it easier to examine a blade of grass.

She made no sound, only silently urging him to continue speaking to her so she could hear his voice again.

"I said, are you lost?" he repeated.

Slowly, she nodded and he let out a sigh. At least she wasn't deaf. That would really make it harder on him.

"Do you need any help?"

Tenten's eyes narrowed and she stood up suddenly, her eyes blazing with defiance. "No! I'm not helpless, you know!" After countless years of living alone, existing through her sheer adaptability and unwavering willpower, this boy had some freaking nerve to ask her if she need help. Tenten was probably the most self-sufficient person she knew, not that she was acquainted with many others.

The boy held up his hands and stood up also, surveying her dirty clothes and unwashed hair and concluding that if she really was lost, it must have been quite some time ago. If she had survived this long in the wild – these woods were a nasty place to get lost in – then she most definitely wasn't helpless. Quite the opposite, rather self-sufficient.

"Fine, then I expect you to leave now. This is private property." His tone was authoritative and demanding and Tenten despised it, her previous attraction vanishing like a wisp of smoke. After years of following her own rules, she did not take too kindly to bossiness, especially from someone her own age.

"There are no signs, no proof. I don't believe you. I'm going to stay right here, you know. There's nothing you can do about it." When she was done, Tenten realized that she sounded like a spoiled brat but she didn't care. This boy was far worse than she.

"I offered you help, didn't I?" His face was eerily impassive, his voice calm. "And you rejected it so there's no reason for you to stay. Unless you actually want my help…"

"No, I don't." Tenten began backing away into the forest.

He looked momentarily puzzled, curious even. "Before you go, what's your name?"

_Tenten. My name's Tenten._

But no, Tenten was still six years old, playing with flowers and tempting butterflies to join her. This new rough, hard version of Tenten was no longer associable with the child. She had no name, no past, no ambition, just a desire to live.

"I don't have a name," Tenten replied, enjoying how the crease on his forehead deepened slightly. "Do you?"

He hesitated but gave in. "Neji, Neji Hyuuga."

"Oh."

This boy hadn't lost himself yet. This boy was still whole. He had a name, a purpose in life, had a family, and sure as hell had a loving girlfriend.

And what did she have? Nothing but the clothes on her back, a never-ending hunger, and scattered memories that she could not, could never, piece together.

She had to get away from here.

_I'm not coming back._

Tenten turned towards the trees and only stopped when Neji called to her. "Wait."

"I thought you wanted me gone," she deadpanned.

He smirked and strode over to her in three steps, reaching out a hand to her shoulder. Tenten instinctively flinched but couldn't move, feeling herself frozen in place. She looked into his eyes, an eternal blanket of white satin and plush pillows that she longed to lose herself in.

And then he flicked his wrist by her shoulder and Tenten watched, shocked, as the monarch butterfly launched itself from her shoulder and disappeared into the night. Neji smirked some more, apparently unaware of her unsettled look. "You're welcome."

With that, he headed back into the villa while Tenten remained alone in the moonlight, imagining all of the terrible things that could happen at the sight of the ill-fated butterfly.

* * *

**a/n: **Wah, a bit boring, no? Haha either way, I hope you all are nice enough to leave me a comment? Even if it says 'I like pie' I don't care. Actually no, I lied. I have no interest in your food preferences but if you choose to share that with me, I really am honored.

Haha anyway, review please! I should get the next chapter up soon!

~Cel:3


	2. Inquiry

**a/n: **Oh look! I updated in a day! Haha please don't expect this too often but I'll try to have at most five days between each update! Anyway, this chapter has a bit more...interaction between Neji and Tenten. Not neccessarily 'romantic' but not just as aquaintances. I suppose this is good because I don't want to rush it yet having them act like complete strangers is undesirable. Anywho, enjoy!

**disclaimer:** My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto.

~Cel:)

* * *

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
**CHAPTER 2**  
~Inquiry~

Neji woke up the next morning with a massive headache, so great that he questioned whether the girl last night had been hallucination or not. He was sure that she existed, that she wasn't a figment of his imagination, but when he looked out the window, the spot where they had been standing just hours ago was untouched, the early morning dew that graced the grass undisturbed.

"Must have been a dream," he muttered, taking a step away from the window pane. "Yes, that's what it was. Nothing more than a dream…"

The house was deathly silent as he walked out into the hallway and grasped the banister. There was none of the creaking that it often emitted, none of the sloshing water than ran through the pipes. It was as if everyone in this house had died and the building had also lost something.

It had lost that warm comfortable feeling of home. Now, it felt like an unfeeling, indifferent structure that stood there of its own accord. No ties, no bonds, no sentimental value; just some bricks and wood arranged in an elaborate display to house the lost souls.

Or, just one soul.

Neji had been and would be the only one the only one living in this house for a long time. His family had long since abandoned this villa, opting a more economical place down by the shore where crystalline waves crashed against golden-sand beaches.

He walked outside and glanced around. Was he, perhaps, looking for the girl?

"Stupid," he muttered to himself condescendingly, "she's not real."

A flicker of color caught his eye and he turned just in time to see a monarch butterfly flit by him, its wings a mere hairbreadth away from his cheek. The insect brought the girl back to his mind, unable to get her look of horror out of his mind. She had seemed terrified when he brushed the butterfly off his shoulder.

Childish, really, to be afraid of such a harmless creature, particularly one that held such splendor.

The girl was no beauty. Plain brown hair, bright hazel eyes, and not much of a figure, the only real captivating characteristic about her were the emotions that were overflowing in her eyes.

Guilt.

Hurt.

Hunger.

Fear.

And Hope.

Like Pandora's Box, the one good thing the only came out after a whole onslaught of disastrous memories were released.

What did she hope for?

What _could_ she hope for?

Neji had already guessed that she was homeless – the state of her clothes gave it away – what drove her to continue living? It must be goddamn tempting to simply lie down and never wake up and he was sure that this thought occurred to her many times over. And yet, she was still alive and her heart was still beating.

There were too many questions that Neji wanted answers to, all circulating around this one mysterious girl that he wasn't sure even existed. _She was real_, he finally told himself. _She's too human, too complex, to simply be a fabrication. What does she see in life that keeps her going? I need to talk to her._

Almost delirious with desire, Neji began streaking through the forest, unaware of where he was headed, only hoping that his path would somehow cross with the girl's. If he was thinking clearly and hadn't lost his grip on common sense, he would have deduced that there was no way in hell that his wishes would be granted. But his mind was befuddled and so he pressed on.

"She can't have gotten far," Neji muttered to himself. "It's only been a few hours. She should be sleeping at this time. She's not gone. She can't be."

After an hour of fruitless searching and vain attempts to call out to her – he didn't know how to address her as simply shouting 'girl' would be of no use – Neji still wouldn't admit defeat.

_I need answers, vital answers, answers that will decide my life or death. I have to find her._

Driven by this thought, Neji ventured deeper and deeper into the forest, disregarding the little voice in his head that scolded him for straying from the path; how would he return home? True, he was as good as lost but there was no point in turning back. All he could do was trek onward and maybe find her, proving that this exploit wasn't for nothing, or do nothing at all and wallow in wasted time.

And just as he considered stopping to take a break, he heard her voice again. (At least, he thought it was her voice. It sounded like it had in his memories but he didn't know for sure.)

"Get away from me! Don't you dare come any closer!" The outburst was punctuated with a scream.

Neji jumped and headed in the direction of her voice, bursting into a small clearing to see her cowering against a tree trunk, arms held defensively in front of her face, legs pulled close to her chest. He looked around for antagonist but, finding none, approached her slowly so as not to frighten her.

And then he saw it, flitting around her head, was a tiny butterfly, about as big as two of his thumbnails and colored like a blazing sunset. He waved his hand around and scared off the insect.

Tenten stopped her whimpering to gaze up at her savior, the frightened look morphing into an accusing one. "You're…Neji. Didn't I tell you that I didn't want any help?"

_Ungracious little…_

Neji unclenched his hand and forced his face to stay emotionless. "You were making a fool of yourself, scared of a mere butterfly."

Visibly flinching, Tenten bowed her head and wrapped her arms around her legs tightly, encasing herself in a cocoon on limbs. She shook violently and Neji was sane enough to be worried.

"Hey, hey, I'm…sorry," he muttered, still standing above her, not knowing the right way to comfort her.

Appearing not to hear him, she glanced around warily, the trepidation clear in her hazel eyes, and then buried her face into her knees. Neji leaned closer and could hear only snippets of what she was saying yet they were worrisome all the same.

"Weird noises from downstairs…I thought she was just being…clumsy…taking a nap, that's all…red ribbons and…nectar…all my fault…"

"I have to get her out of this forest," Neji muttered to himself, stooping down and lifting her surprisingly light body off of the floor. "She needs serious help." He felt her shake in his arms, her eyelids drooping, succumbing to sleep, unconsciousness.

_Move._

Neji looked around the clearing, trying to unearth the correct way back. His heart falling, he realized that this forest was immense and many had warned him not to venture in alone without a clear idea of where he was headed. But…if this girl – this troubled, homeless girl – could do it, then so could he.

He made it a sort of game, a race of some sorts, to keep himself motivated. Make it back to the villa before she wakes up and he would win. Neji did not take well to failure.

And so he was discouraged when she began to stir, her eyes fluttering open and connecting with his. She began to mutter something and Neji had to put his ear right by her mouth to hear her.

"Daddy?"

Neji was slightly bewildered but found himself playing along. "Y-yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?" Tenten continued before Neji could reply. "Why'd you do it?"

"What?"

"I…I thought you loved Mommy."

He was silent. What could he say to that? In light of the poor decisions that he had already made this morning, it would be no surprise if he blurted out something that would traumatize her even more.

Tenten did not seem to notice his lack of words. "Did you really mean it when you said you weren't coming back?"

Neji cleared his throat. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I?"

Nodding, she smiled and buried her face into his shirt, her breathing soon becoming even as she fell back asleep.

Something tugged at his heart as he watched the girl sleep in his arms, so peaceful and innocent. She really didn't deserve the cards that Fate had dealt out to her. But there was nothing she could do except bear the burden and continue living.

"Why can't I do that?" Neji growled to himself as he stepped over a protruding tree root. "_She_ still has a reason for living! Why don't I?"

Around sun high, Neji finally managed to stumble out of the forest and into a grove of apple trees, a location he was quite familiar with. Delighted, he began trekking west to where the villa lay and breathed a sigh of relief when the recognizable shingled rooftop came into view.

As he climbed the stairs with the girl in his arms, he realized that he didn't know her name. Resolving to ask her as soon as she woke, Neji settled her into one of the many unused beds and tucked the blankets around her.

Neji was feeling rather protective of this girl. She clearly had no one else to depend on, to trust, and he had taken it upon himself to be her defender. Like a knight in shining armor protects a princess.

He looked down at Tenten's sleeping face.

A very _bedraggled_ princess.

With a sigh, he trudged downstairs and prepared a light lunch despite the fact that he hadn't had anything to eat since last night. He could barely eat the food that tasted like cardboard but forced it down anyway. When he was done, he cleared the plate by pushing it as far as it would go and laid his head on his folded arms to think.

Suddenly struck by a brilliant idea, Neji turned on his computer, cursing the slow network connection. When his homepage had loaded, he redirected himself to a search engine and typed in four letters.

_F. E. A. R._

* * *

When Tenten came to, she was surprised to find herself in a bed, a very comfortable bed in fact. The blankets were soft, the pillows plump, and for a moment she just enjoyed the sensation after so many nights of sleeping on the group with nothing but thin, ripped clothing on.

Then her common sense came over and began to question what she was doing here.

Slowly, she pulled the sheet off of her body and placed a toe tentatively on the smooth, cool wood floor. Praying it wouldn't creak, she swung her other leg over and stood up, her eyes landing on the closed door.

As she reached out to grasp the handle, she stopped herself, remembering the butterfly. What lay beyond the door? Did she even want to find out?

"I can't stay cooped up in here forever," she told herself. "I've got to at least try and escape."

Tenten opened the door to reveal nothing and headed for the stairs that lead into an elaborate foyer.

_Am I dreaming?_

When she had set foot into the kitchen, Tenten saw_ him,_ awake and scribbling furiously on a sheet of paper. _Ah, this must be his house. I wonder why he brought me here._ She tried to recall the day's events but shook her head, unable to do so.

She didn't say anything and continued approaching him, only stopping when his voice reached her ears.

"Oh, you're awake." Neji turned to look at her, inconspicuously flipping his paper over.

"Yes." Tenten scratched the side of her nose.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

He looked amused, as if he were talking to a young child. "You're welcome."

"What?"

"I said you're welcome." Neji smirked as if he were enjoying this. "Now, what do you say?"

"Thanks, I guess," Tenten mumbled, suddenly feeling very annoyed that this boy was trying to instruct her.

He seemed satisfied with that as he got up and came to stand in front of her. "Now that I think about it, I never got your name. Were you serious when you said that you had no name?"

Tenten nodded. "I had a name, once, but that was a long time ago. I'm no longer that person."

"I see." Neji's eyebrows furrowed. "Can I ask what you were called when you had a name?"

"Tenten. Tenten was my name."

"Strange phrasing," he commented casually, sidestepping her and heading towards a cupboard. "I presume you're hungry?"

"Famished," Tenten agreed.

Neji produced a plate with bread and a slice of ham, which he set on the table, indicating a chair for Tenten to sit in. He watched as she eagerly obliged and began eating quickly, as if it was all going to disappear in a few seconds, which it did – disappeared into her stomach.

"I want to know, did you see what I wrote on that piece of paper?" Neji waited.

"No, but I can't read very well so it doesn't really matter if I saw it or not," Tenten replied with no sign of shame of embarrassment.

_I guess literary skills aren't very helpful when you're homeless._

"You need new clothes," Neji announced, leading the way upstairs.

"No, I don't," she retorted, smoothing the frayed ends of her dark gray shirt. "I'm perfectly fine in this."

"And then you really need to take a shower," he continued, pretending not to have heard her.

Tenten touched her hair, pulled into two messy buns. There was dirt and caked mud from sleeping in the forest last night and who knows what else that could have crawled in. Admitting defeat, she followed the Hyuuga upstairs and into a bathroom.

The bathroom was large, with a bathtub the size of a hot tub stationed in one corner and a walk-in-closet-sized shower off to the right of a titanium sink and marble-top counter. Neji pulled the fluffiest towel from off of a towel rack and pressed it into Tenten's hands.

"Shampoo and conditioner are in the cabinet. Soap for bubble baths, too," Neji explained, gesturing to said cabinet.

Tenten could only nod, stunned by the sheer luxury of the room in front of her.

"I'll find some clothes for you," he told her and then dropped his gaze, looking very awkward. "Um, you need a bra, right?"

"I usually just wrap it up," Tenten replied, not quite registering his embarrassment. "Maybe gauze?"

Neji nodded, looking relieved and headed out of the bathroom, shutting the door to give herself some privacy.

Tenten turned on the bathtub faucets and watched as warm water gushed out and began to fill the enormous tub. Stripping her clothes off quickly, she kicked them into a lopsided pile by the toilet and began rummaging through the cabinet, looking for something Neji called 'bubble bath soap'.

When she emerged victorious with the pink bottle clutched in her hand, she looked at herself in the mirror, frowning at how much weight she had lost. Her ribs were visible and her cheeks had a sunken look to them, almost skeletal. Although her skin was nicely tanned from so much time in the sun and had a few curves, she was overall too anorexic-looking to be called 'pretty'.

She shook her head slowly and poured the soap into the tub, watching with amusement as pink frothy bubbles began to spring up along the surface of the tub. When the water nearly overflowed, Tenten placed a foot into the whipped pink bubbles and slowly lowered herself in, welcoming the feel of warm water cleansing her grimy body.

When she deemed herself sufficiently clean, Tenten drained the water and wrapped her hair up in a towel, another one circling the rest of her body. She opened the bathroom door to see a pile of neatly folded clothes and a roll of gauze resting on top of it.

Tenten unfolded the garments to reveal a green hoodie and black athletic pants. They were warm and smelled of detergent, she observed as she pulled on the pants. She carefully wrapped the gauze around her chest before putting on the hoodie, comfortable despite being slightly baggy.

Neji was sitting at the table when she finally came down, glad that she looked cleaner. He quickly discontinued his writing but not before Tenten saw the word 'trigger'. "I have something to ask you," he said.

She sat down in the seat across from him, disregarding whatever he had been writing. "Ok."

"Will you stay here with me?"

"What?"

Neji frowned, realizing that his wording was not quite correct. "I'm not asking you to marry me or something. It's just that you have nowhere else to go and it's fine with me if you stay here."

"You pity me," Tenten stated.

"I want you to have a better life than you've already had," he contradicted.

"It's the same thing." She crossed her arms, thinking. "So is that your reason for wanting me to stay? Pity?"

"It depends on your perspective," Neji countered.

"It's not permanent."

"I know."

"You'll get annoyed with me often."

"I'll suck it up."

"Fine."

Neji raised a perfect eyebrow. "Fine…what?"

"Fine, I'll stay," Tenten gave in. "But only if I get to ask you one question."

He sat back. "Go for it."

"What's the real reason for wanting me to stay?" Tenten shot out.

_Observant._

"The real reason," Neji repeated, dismissing the idea of feigning ignorance. She really was perceptive, this one. It wouldn't be long before she found out about him but…he needed her here. "My questions need answers and I believe you have them."

* * *

**a/n:** Isnt Neji the most gracious host? Wahh, I'd love to stay in his house for a few days. XD So that was Chapter 2 and I know you have no idea where this story will lead to so I'll give you a hint: The story revolves around Tenten finding out the secret behind her mother's murder while Neji tries to reawaken his reasons for living.

Yeah, very angsty, I know but...I hope you all enjoy it! Next chapter coming on September 9th at the latest!

This chapter's review topic: Favorite color? XD

~Cel:)


	3. Dreams

a/n:

Whooop! I got another chapter done! Which is very surprising considering the crazy-ass amount of homework my teachers decided to give on the first few days of school! Ahh well, I'm just glad that I finished chapter for you guys! Oh! And I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last few chapters! Your positive comments have motivated me to update faster than I had planned! Thank you so much!

**Now, without further ado...**

**disclaimler: **My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto.

~Cel:D

* * *

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
CHAPTER 3  
~Dreams~

Tenten furrowed her eyebrows, scrutinizing the Hyuuga boy in front of her. "I knew it wasn't out of the kindness of your heart. We always want something, don't we?" She smiled wryly.

"It doesn't matter." Neji shook his own head in an attempt to enforce the idea. "You don't have to answer them now. In fact, I don't want you to answer them now. These kinds of questions take time to answer."

"I don't get it," she stated suddenly.

"What?"

"You're wealthy, very wealthy," Tenten said, as if he didn't already know. "You have a huge house, expensive clothes, elaborate furnishings. So why turn to a homeless orphan for help?"

"It's not help. It's answers," Neji corrected.

She folded her arms, looking very obstinate. "Asking questions is like asking for help, Hyuuga-san."

Neji could only stare strangely at the girl, this girl who kept surprising him with every word that tumbled out of her mouth. He smiled inwardly; his life would finally have some light. "You don't have to call me that. Neji is perfectly fine."

"Somehow, I get the impression that I've just been employed and my salary is free room and board. Calling you 'Hyuuga-san' is only right," Tenten explained.

"Hn." Neji ignored the impulse to roll his eyes. "That makes me feel as if you are addressing my uncle and that's the last thing I want."

"Oh," Tenten muttered softly, realizing she had delved into the issues of family. "If you don't mind…why_ are_ you living here alone?"

He sighed and looked out the window, his face pained. "I do not hold a grudge against anyone. I was not thrown out, if that's what you're thinking. It's just that my future's laid out in front of me, I don't like what I see, and now I'm trying to change it."

"How far ahead can you see?" Tenten whispered, as if Neji was gazing at spectacular events in a crystal ball.

Neji closed his eyes and his whole face looked aggrieved, tense. "A few months."

Tenten, confused still at what he meant by 'seeing his future', decided not to press the issue lest she find out things that she didn't want to have knowledge of. "I see."

"No, you don't." He exhaled, trying to keep it steady. "Don't try to understand. I'd rather you not."

"You're right. I don't want to understand, Hyuuga-san," Tenten agreed, eager to please.

"I told you not to…" He stopped, thinking. "Never mind. Whatever you might think, you are not my employee. You do not need to call me Hyuuga-san. We're…" Neji broke off and swallowed. "…friends?"

"No, we're not," Tenten answered bluntly. "I just met you less than twenty-four hours ago. If you really wanted to put a label on it, we're acquaintances."

"You're incredibly well-versed for one living in such poverty for an extended period of time." Neji smirked.

"I'm naturally intelligent." She smiled for a moment and then her face dropped. "I'm tired. May I be excused?"

Neji nodded and Tenten walked to the stairs, taking them slowly, one at a time. _He's very kind to offer me free room and board, _she mused, _all he _says_ he wants is answers. But there's definitely a catch. There's always a catch. Somehow, I feel as if I've bitten off more than I can chew._

Tenten, in truth, was slightly apprehensive of the questions that Neji might ask. _Were_ there any questions to be answered at all or was he simply using it to help her save face? There really were no legitimate questions that could only be answered by her that she could think of.

She wasn't special, nor unique, except for her tragic past but what about that qualified her to be Neji's answerer? Tenten had a feeling that he knew more than he let on.

Tenten opened the door, looked around her neat little room and sighed. The room was a decent size, big enough for a queen-sized bed, a writing desk and chair, a dresser and a full length mirror to fit. As much as she enjoyed these rare luxuries – a bed, food at your fingertips, running water – she knew it wasn't permanent. She'd have to leave at some point, although she realized that she didn't really want to.

* * *

A few hours later, during a time that hung between midnight and dawn, Tenten was able to drift off into sleep after hours of lying in the dark. She still wore Neji's clothes and became conscious of how they smelled of him – cologne and the clean, crisp scent of freshly cut grass.

With that on her mind, she finally succumbed to sleep but was whirled into a terrifying nightmare. Everything around was surrounded in a blanket of eternal darkness, the empty space suffocating her. Directly in front of her came a bright pinprick of light, travelling towards her infinitely fast.

It came hurdling past her at the speed of light and, despite the impossibility, she glimpsed the sapphire wings of a butterfly. Her heart pulsated a thousand times faster than normal with premonition. Petrified, Tenten could only close her eyes and brace herself for either a quick death that would surely wake her up or the appearance of something frightening.

She felt a wind from a dozen hurricanes engulf her and lift her from her feet. Daunted, Tenten clenched her fist, trying to conjure up some bravery – this was only a dream, she told herself – but to no avail. She was scared witless.

When at last her feet connected to solid ground, Tenten dared to open her eyes and found herself looking at a mirror in her childhood bathroom. Her six-year-old self blinked back, a gaunt look on her face. With one finger, she beckoned the older Tenten to follow her out the bathroom.

The real Tenten's feet moved of their own accord and followed the phantasm of her younger self that could only be seen through mirrors. She could see the six-year-old flitting through the mirrors that lined the walls – she didn't remember them being so ubiquitous.

The specter led Tenten downstairs and she knew what she was about to see. Her mother, sprawled on the floor with blood gushing from her open wound, the kitchen in a disarray. She felt nauseous but caught sight of the six-year-old grinning from a mirror positioned above the stove. She pointed to the foyer and disappeared.

Tenten had no choice but to follow her, leaving her mother dead on the floor. _No, she's not real_, Tenten told herself._ This is a dream, a dream, damn it! Wake up, Tenten!_

In the foyer, she saw the note, crumpled and the words written hastily.

_I'm not coming back._

She glanced at her younger self, whose grin had widened considerably, and looked back at the note, noticing how the words had changed.

_You're not going back._

Tenten whipped her head up and saw that she was now encased in a box of mirrors, along with a million reflections of herself. On the mirror to the left, she saw her six-year-old self appear behind the reflection and stab it with an unknown object.

Already grasping what was to happen to her, Tenten turned around to see the child directly behind her, wielding a sharp knife that already dripped with crimson liquid. A quick glimpse confirmed what she suspected – the rest of her mirror images were now suffering the same fate.

The six-year-old smirked and unfolded two dazzling iridescent butterfly wings thrice her size. Tenten could only sit there and stare, wide-eyed, as the phantom stepped closer, twirling the knife like a baton. At the last second, she was able to close her eyes, praying that her 'death' would wake her up.

Indeed, she woke up screaming and bolted out of her bed to crouch in the corner, whispering to herself over and over again that it was just a dream. "I was only dreaming," she muttered. "That's not real. It won't happen. It _can't _happen. There's no way. It's impossible."

Shaking her head, Tenten pulled herself into a standing position and forced her body to stop trembling. "I need water," she decided and grasped the handle, pulling it open slowly to not wake up Neji. With light steps she ran down the stairs but stopped when a piece of paper caught her eye. Stooping down, she picked it up and frowned.

_Trigger. _

"This is Neji's paper," Tenten whispered, examining it and taking notice of how torn and bloody it was. Right below the second 'g' was a hole, burnt around the edges and still smoking slightly. "No…"

In the kitchen, she didn't see him right away. Her eyes instead honed in on a small gun lying on the table. She shivered and picked it up, deciding that it looked like a beckoning finger, asking death to come.

Quickly, Tenten set it back down on the table, on a piece of paper, and read the words.

_He's not coming back._

Tentatively, she peered down and saw the deep red. Against the moonlight, it almost looked black. But there it was, soaking and seeping into the soles of her feet and coming from a dead body under the table. There was no mistaking the white eyes that stared back at her, the face contorted into a perpetual mask of horror.

And she screamed.

* * *

Neji woke up with a start. Was that a scream he heard?

"Tenten," he murmured, throwing the blankets off of him and heading for her room. Seeing her bed empty, he began to panic and was about to turn around when he heard a choking sob coming from a corner.

Upon closer inspection, he saw a small figure huddled in a shadowed corner, rocking back and forth on her heels. _She's having a panic attack,_ Neji concluded, unsure of what he could do to comfort her. _How, though? _

He took a step closer and Tenten's whimpering grew louder as he approached her. "Tenten?"

"It's his voice," she yelped, her voice muffled by her arms that were encircled around her knees. "Then, he's not…? No, that was a dream! This isn't a dream! Don't die!"

He crouched beside her and laid a warm hand on her shoulder, causing her to scream and look up at her attacker. "Hey, relax, it's just me," Neji whispered soothingly.

"No, no, you're dead," she insisted hysterically. "I saw you die!"

"I'm not dead," he stated.

Tenten looked up and their eyes met. "I saw you die," she reiterated.

"It was a dream, a nightmare." Neji frowned as he wrapped both arms around her shoulders comfortingly, realizing how hard she was shivering.

"A nightmare," she repeated, "that's what it was?"

Neji nodded and felt her relax in his arms. Her labored breathing slowed to its regular pace and she leaned her head into the crook of his neck. "Are you really alright?" she asked.

He chuckled, realizing the irony that she was asking him and not vice versa. "Yes, I'm fine."

She swallowed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Being troublesome," Tenten answered dejectedly.

"It was only a nightmare. There's nothing to apologize for," Neji reassured her.

"Real…it felt so…real…" She wiped away the tears.

Neji tried to smile at her but found that that was hard to do in such a situation. "You should probably go back to sleep."

Tenten shook her head vigorously, curling into a ball once more. "I'm scared."

"I'll…" He sighed, letting go of her and climbing to his feet. "Come on," Neji prompted, holding out his hand, "I'll stay with you."

"No, you've done enough for me already." Her eyes, however, still conveyed high levels of fright.

"And so I might as well do more while I'm being so nice." He smirked when he felt her hand creep slowly into his and helped her up.

They lay down together on the bed and Tenten's heartbeat only rapidly increased despite Neji's intentions. Here she was, sleeping beside the handsome Neji Hyuuga, a position she guessed that many girl would sell their souls to be in. Growing up in a world where romance and attractions were near nonexistent, it didn't take long for her to banish these thoughts.

The dream had still shaken her, though. It had been a long time since she had had a night terror like that. No matter what Neji told her, saying it was just a nightmare, Tenten still had this haunting feeling that her dream was as close to reality as she'd ever get.

When she was younger, a few months after her mother's murder and her father's disappearance, she began having these varied nightmares where she would revisit the scene and relive the ordeal, each with its own unique, twisted variation.

Sometimes her father would come back to finish her off. Others, her mother rose from the dead and attacked the first thing she saw: Tenten. And occasionally, a neighbor would find her beside her mother's bloody corpse and blame her as the murderer.

But never, never, had she been the one to kill herself.

This was Neji's doing, she was sure, but she didn't know whether it was a positive or a negative thing. He given her a home, a roof over her head, but were there any dire consequences she needed to be warned of? The only significant thing she could think of would be if the house burned down.

Neji, noticing that Tenten hadn't fallen asleep yet, spoke up. "Hey, you want to tell me what the dream was about?"

She pulled the blanket around her tighter, trying to suck some bravery from it. "No."

He was quiet. "Ok." After a moment of shifting his position, Neji continued. "Are you still scared?"

"No," Tenten lied.

Neji knew she wasn't telling the truth but decided not to press the issue. "Good." He waited for hours until she truly was asleep and only then did he allow himself to drift away, trying to ignore the urge to hug her close to his chest and banish the nightmares that terrorized her.

* * *

Miles away, a couple was winding through the fields and meadows of the countryside, alone on the dusty road illuminated by a pale moon. They were silent, only the sound of a revving engine permeating the air. The atmosphere was laced with unspoken tension as they neared their destination.

The woman sat back in the passenger seat, her black purse resting on her lap, both hands surrounding it protectively. She appeared to be in her late forties but was still very beautiful; midnight black hair streaked with the occasional strand of silver and startling green eyes with a surprisingly fit body due to all of her time spent at the gym when she wasn't at work.

Every now and then, she would glance at the man beside her. Their eyes would connect briefly before she'd turn the other way, disapproval clear in her eyes. The man also looked troubled and disappointed, apprehensive even. His brown hair had begun to fall out but there was apparent dominance and confidence etched into his eyes.

"Are you sure about this?" The woman's voice was tentative, not bothering to look at her companion.

He sighed. "I'm not turning around, Sayuri. I told you that I had to do this."

"You're blowing your cover, you idiot!" Sayuri hissed, finally directing her glare at the man. "After all these years, you're going to go back?"

"You didn't have to come." He smirked at her angry expression and took a sharp turn to the left.

"Someone's got to make sure you don't get yourself into any more shit, Hotaka," Sayuri muttered darkly as a small suburban town came into view, the streetlights blinking welcomingly.

"That's right. You saved my ass that one time. I would've ended in jail if you hadn't whisked me away just in time," mused Hotaka as they drove through a slumbering neighborhood.

Sayuri frowned as they pulled to a stop in front of a small house. Bright yellow strips covered the front of the house, the words "DO NOT ENTER – POLICE INVESTIGATION" scrolled on it. "Are you really sure you want to do this? I have a feeling this is going to end badly," she warned.

Hotaka didn't answer right away, instead fumbling through his pockets before pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. He smoothed it out, studied it, then crumpled it once more. "I've covered my trail remarkably well. This shouldn't be a problem." He exited the car and gestured for Sayuri to follow.

"But are you sure they never found the murderer? Are your 'reliable sources' completely reliable?" Sayuri demanded.

"Yes, I have faith." Hotaka paused to duck under the tape, holding it up just long enough for Sayuri to duck under also. "It's the least I can do."

Sayuri's face softened considerably. "You loved her, didn't you?"

"And my daughter…" Hotaka bit down the tears.

"Then why did you-"

"I did what I had to do, alright?" he interrupted, taking out his note. "Don't blame me for what I did to them. I'm going to find my daughter if she's alive!"

"How are you sure she even wants to see you? She saw the last note. She must hate you," Sayuri mentioned quietly, momentarily apprehensive as to how Hotaka would react.

Instead of blowing up as she had predicted, he looked utterly defeated and world-weary. "I have to try, don't I?"

Without waiting for an answer, he placed the piece of paper on the doorstep, holding it down with a piece of tape and rotated on his heel, walking back to the car without waiting for his companion. Sayuri watched the paper flutter in the early morning breezes, like a white wing against a black sky, and tried to make out the words written hastily on the paper.

She instantly sighed and reentered the vehicle to face a stony-faced Hotaka. "They'll find it," she reassured him.

He didn't answer, but sped away.

_I come here every day and think of you._

**a/n:** So, how was it? Lol I like the thought of Tenten having a nightmare and Neji comforting her by sleeping with her. Of course, this is much more complicated than that. XD

Now, we have some insight on what's happening outside of these two. Yes, Sayuri and Hotaka are OCs. I apologize if you do not appreciate the use to original characters but it's better than using already existing characters, especially with the roles I have for them.

Neji's family relations/problems, as well as his past, _are_ supposed to be vague and not quite clear. And, I also find myself thinking that Neji is slightly OOC. By that, I mean he's too nice. There's no one word answers or 'Hn's although I did throw one in there. I don't know how I'll be able to make him more 'Neji-like' without changing the outline of my story, so if you have any ideas, they would be greatly appreciated!

This chapter's review topic: best NejiTen fic you've ever read?

PLEASE REVIEW. :)

~Cel:D


	4. Trigger

**a/n: **Oh dear, it seems I've updated about two days later than expected, eh? I apologize; I just didn't think that my teachers would give out so much homework during the first week. Hell, I've got a quiz tomorrow and a test the next day but enough of my whining. That's not what you clicked on this page for! ;)

Anyway, as you might have noticed, I changed my name. Again.

From Celestine's Moon, to Mizuki Celestine, and finally to Celadonya. This is all because my proferred username was already taken and now I'm toying around with a few replacements. But I think I'll stick with Celadonya. I quite like it. XD

So, without further ado, I present to you, Chapter 4. ;)

**disclaimer:** My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto.

~Cel

* * *

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
**CHAPTER 4**  
~Trigger~

Neji woke up the next morning before Tenten did, surprised that somehow, during the course of the night, his hand had snaked its way around her shoulders. Wide-eyed, he quickly withdrew his hand before she was aware of his boldness and eased himself out of the bed.

Glancing back, he saw that she was still sleeping peacefully and exited the room before she had a chance to question why he was still in her room.

Downstairs, early morning sunlight was streaming in through the windows, directing Neji's gaze onto the piece of paper he had left on the table. Frowning slightly, he picked it up and studied the words he had scrawled on the paper. "This has got to be it," he muttered, slapping it back onto the tabletop with unnecessary force. "If it's not the answer…then something is terribly wrong."

He looked up when he heard footsteps and tried to smile up at a bedraggled Tenten. Her hair had a frizzy look to it, like chocolate wisps of smoke clinging to her head, and the rumpled clothes looked like elephant's skin. Nevertheless, she smiled wryly and took a seat at the table.

"I know what you're thinking," she announced after a moment of studying him.

Neji raised an eyebrow disbelievingly. "Oh?"

She nodded and rested her head on her folded arms, waiting.

He also remained silent, but when she showed no signs of talking, he took the reins. "Did I wake you up?"

"I actually woke up before you," Tenten admitted, grinning.

_Damn._

Neji inwardly winced, hoping that she wouldn't bring up the subject of his embracing her. "So, your nightmare…"

"It was pretty bad," she agreed.

"Does it happen often?"

"Yes, but I've never had someone to comfort me before." Her eyes shone with gratitude.

He cleared his throat and looked away, suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable. "You're welcome."

"I never thanked you," she pointed out.

"Then you should have." Neji smirked.

"Maybe."

_Enough of this beating around the bush. Neji, you have to find out what's bothering her._

"Tenten, I need to ask you something," he began but she cut him off.

"Is this about your 'unanswered questions' or what I was dreaming about?" She displayed her own rendition of his smirk as he studied her. "Told you I knew what you were thinking."

"What happened last night isn't normal," Neji told her as if she didn't already know. "You need to tell me what you dreamt about so I can help you."

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you, a psychiatrist?"

"No, but I want to help you. And not just for your benefit; I don't plan on being awoken every night just to comfort you and banish the figments of your imagination that terrify you." When he was finished, he realized how harsh he had sounded but tossed the thought aside. If that's what it took…

Tenten closed her eyes and let out a deep, shuddering sigh, looking so disturbed that Neji was afraid that she had suffered a heart attack and died. "It wasn't my imagination. I revisited a real scene, a _very_ real scene, that has scarred me for life. Then again, I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"I didn't mean to belittle you," Neji defended himself, "I just wanted you to know that it's essential for you to tell me."

She opened one eye and seemed to look right through him with one piercing hazel eye. "What have I got to lose?"

And as soon as she uttered this phrase, Neji realized the utter truth of it. Despite how many people carelessly tossed those six words around like they weren't shit, none of them really applied to the rhetorical question. Surely they had something that they didn't want to lose; family members, objects with sentimental value.

But here was a girl standing in front of him – living, breathing, and beating – who had nothing, nothing to call her own. Homeless with no family that he knew of, no friends that he knew of, no possessions that he knew of other than the clothes on her back and the hair on her head.

The words were spoken with dignity, however, no matter how melodramatic they might seem. She was proud, fucking proud, that she had nothing to lose. It made her fearless, strong, bold, unafraid of what the consequences were. It allowed her to take risks that normal people would never dream of doing, too attached to the things they held dear.

All throughout his life, Neji was told that to have nothing was terrible but there was a real oxymoron in front of him, staring him the face. She was alive and healthy and courageous, admirable traits that Neji realized he wished he had.

He wished that, upon learning that everything had been ripped away from him, he had taken the other road, to become stronger, rather than try and deny the truth. Sometimes, there was no way to hide from destiny and whether you turned alright or not all depended on your ability to perceive change and meet it head on.

And he was once again reminded of why he decided to ask Tenten to stay, to help him answer his questions. She was vibrant, bubbly, bursting with color and life, so much that it was almost intoxicating. Whether or not her emotions paralleled that was beside the point; she simply had an aura of living that Neji found himself gravitating towards, like a moth to light, flies to honey.

"What, indeed," Neji murmured under his breath, so low that Tenten couldn't hear.

"My parents are dead," Tenten stated simply but corrected herself as an afterthought. "No, my mother is dead and my father is who knows where. He's as good as dead to me." She waited, done for now.

Neji, however, was not one to let that fly. "That makes no sense. Both my parents are dead also, my father actually dead, but I don't have these night terrors."

"Did you see your mother die?" Tenten asked in a wispy voice.

"Yes."

"Was she murdered?"

He swallowed suddenly, shivering slightly. "Only by destiny."

"Then you understand why I'm so terrified," Tenten ended quietly.

"But of butterflies?" Neji forced himself not to laugh. "That's absurd."

"Insensitive bastard," she shot at him viciously. "Butterflies are the devil's greatest disguised, masked behind beauty so the viewer will be ill-fatedly misled to their own downfall. What is so absurd about that? My parents are dead, Neji, and it's all because of a butterfly. I freak out whenever I see one and there's nothing I can do about it."

_Trigger._

"I know why you react so violently to butterflies, Tenten," Neji told her.

She looked up in shock. "Are you…serious?"

"I searched it up, studied it, and I think I know why."

"Is there any way I can get rid of it? I can't keep living my life like this. I need it gone!" Tenten exclaimed.

Neji tapped the paper still laying flat on the table. "It depends on you, whether you're strong enough to overcome your fear. It's more of a psychological problem so there's nothing _I _can do to help you, nor any other person. Therapists claim to help but I personally find it's much easier to do it with a person you're more comfortable with."

"What's wrong with me?" Tenten whispered, slightly afraid of what she might hear.

"Nothing, just what you've experienced. _That's_ wrong." He cleared his throat and scanned the paper. "I'll read for you."

"Actually, I lied. I can read," Tenten confessed.

"I know." He smirked and began to read. "When someone has experienced an especially traumatic event, they may begin to associate a certain object, idea, or feeling with that occurrence. Whenever they catch sight of this item again, it brings back painful memories of what had happened. This is what some psychologists call a 'trigger' response; how something 'triggers' a panic attack."

"That explains it," Tenten murmured, not only talking about her problem, glad that the trigger she saw wasn't referring to a gun. "Is there anything I can do, Neji?"

"I wasn't able to find a cure," he confessed, passing the paper over to her. "Only you can overcome the fear."

She narrowed her eyes as she reviewed the words, written in Neji's neat calligraphy. "I suppose I'll have to shove my face in front of all the butterflies I can find and when I stop screaming I'll know I'm cured."

Neji frowned, not finding her dry humor very comical at all. "I think there are better ways than that. But of course, this may be one of the questions that take time to answer. And perhaps, it's even possible this is one of the unsolvable riddles. Only destiny can tell."

"Destiny," Tenten repeated, rolling her tongue across the word. "Perhaps…"

"Now," he continued in a business-like manner, his philosophical air disappearing at once, "you need more clothes than just that."

Tenten looked down at the rumpled hoodie and shorts and grinned. "If you say so…"

Neji led the way up the stairs and into his room. Tenten waited by the doorway awkwardly, unsure whether she should enter or not. His room was slightly messy; the bed not made and many articles of clothing strewn across the floor.

It was only when Neji pulled out a t-shirt and turned around to show Tenten when he noticed she was still waiting. "What are you doing?"

"I'm…I wasn't sure if I could come in or not," she stated.

"That's no excuse. Come in," he ordered monotonously.

She obliged and came to stand beside her host, watching as he pulled out various garments out of several drawers, only to plop them unceremoniously onto his unmade bed. When a decent sized mound had formed, he paused and smirked at her. "That should be enough until we can get to a store, hm?"

Tenten bobbed her head appreciatively. "Yes, thank you very much although I really don't need you to spend money on me." She began sorting through the pile, placing each piece into a separate pile.

Neji plucked a navy blue t-shirt out of Tenten's hands, folded it with expert skill, and reached for a pair of flannel pants as she struggled to match up the sleeves of a sweater. They soon began to fall into a rhythmical folding pattern as his neat pile grew exponentially and hers grew as slow as grass. Once in a while, he would reach over and reposition her hands, gently guiding her, only to smirk when she fumbled after he let go.

After dropping a pair of socks on the floor, Tenten grew brave. "Neji, what…why are you…you never answered my question," she finally stated.

"Which question?" He never took his eyes off of the shirt he was folding, already knowing what answer he had chosen to withhold from her.

"Why are you living here alone? I mean, you answered but the reply was so ambiguous and confusing that it was almost as if you hadn't said anything at all," Tenten explained. "I want to know about _your_ past."

_I can't tell her._

"It's nothing important," Neji lied convincingly, adding the last pair of pants onto his stack of clothes. "And I won't tell you even you ask me again," he added when she opened her mouth to plead.

Stung, Tenten recoiled as if slapped but Neji took no notice as he helped himself to her share of the work and was furiously folding the garments.

_If he doesn't want to tell me, fine then. I'll act like I don't care._

"Oh, ok, I suppose it doesn't really matter," Tenten answered lightly. "I'll won't be staying long anyway, Hyuuga-san."

Neji, noticing the reappearance of the formalities, accidentally knocked over her pile of messily-folded clothes. Tenten's eyes widened. All her hard work was wasted. Even if it wasn't spectacularly done, she had still made her best effort and now…

_You better apologize, Jerk-san._

But all he said was, "I see you're back to the honorifics."

Tenten pursed her lips and crossed her arms, scowling inwardly. Despite her common sense telling her that getting angry at your generous host was a very risky move, she allowed that scowl to emerge, etching itself onto her lips. "I think things have always been very formal around here."

With that, she spun on her heel and stalked over to her room, completely forgetting about the clothes that Neji had been so gracious as to give her. Once she was safely on her bed, the door shut and locked, Tenten stared at the ceiling, wondering how her current situation would change now that she had pissed off the Hyuuga boy.

"It doesn't matter, really, if I ever find out about his past," Tenten muttered to herself, rolling over and picking up a pillow off of the floor. "It's not like I want to know anymore. Which is good, because I'll probably be kicked out after this." She sighed and closed her eyes.

On the contrary, Neji blamed himself for her outburst, scolding himself for such dimwittedness. He could have just said that he didn't want to talk about it because it was a touchy subject. Instead, he had outright rejected her advances – he was sure she was just worried about him – leaving her with the suspicion that he didn't trust her.

Though, as strange as it seemed to him, he did trust her. Despite the fact that they had met less than forty-eight hours ago, he had developed a sort of bond with her. One-sided or not, Neji nevertheless found her to be a very pure person, surprisingly untainted for one who had more than enough reasons to be positively covered in grime and filth.

"I can't tell her," he said aloud, involuntarily reaching over to her knocked-over pile of clothes. "I don't want her to worry."

Glaring at the clothes in his hands, he threw them side and held his head in his hand. "I'm really selfish, so fucking selfish. I'm a stuck-up, self-conceited, spoiled jackass who thinks too much of himself. Allowing Tenten to stay here was for my own reasons, wanting answers to my questions, not because I'm being generous. If it were someone besides her, if it weren't for my confusion, I would have sent them off without another thought.

"But I'm willing to change now. Damn it, I'll prove it to everyone that I'm not an egocentric bastard. I'm going to help Tenten get rid of her fear as one of the many things I'll need to do to repent. I may not believe in a god or a deity, but if any one of them is listening now, I'll tell them that I promise to turn Tenten's life around, even if it's the last thing I do."

With that, Neji forced himself to calm down and quickly finished the folding, taking hold of everything and leaving it outside Tenten's door, making sure to knock before walking away. He didn't notice Tenten poke her head out, glance at the clothes and then at his back because he was too busy trying not to let foreboding thought enter his mind. Despite his best efforts, it managed to wriggle into his brain and slowly stain his thoughts.

_In fact, I'm pretty sure it'll be the last thing I'll ever do._

* * *

Sasuke haunted the hospital hallways like a ghost, a raven-haired, pale-skinned ghost with brooding black eyes that seemed to hold an ethereal quality to them. His face, although still quite handsome, held a look of hopelessness, so intimidating that even the most vivacious of nurses had been too frightened to approach him, however good in bed she might think he was.

The hospital staff were quite used to him now and walked past him without any comment, save for the usual nod of the head. If any of them found his frequent visitations strange or unheard of, they did not mention it. It was this sort of professionalism that Sasuke extremely appreciated, especially during his hospital visits.

What did it matter that he had no close ties with the dying patient?

What did it matter that he wasn't related nor had any friendship?

He had his own reasons for what he did.

It was probably too confusing for their insolent little brains anyway, he'd always think with a smirk.

He paused outside the very familiar room and peered in through the small, square window, his heart dropping at how thin she had gotten, almost skeletal. Taking a deep breath, he twisted the doorknob and entered the room, plastering on a very fake smile, trying his very best to cheer her up.

She turned her pale eyes to him and frowned. "You're here again?" she spat out.

Sasuke said nothing, only seated himself in the chair beside her bed. "No word from Neji yet?"

"He's a bastard, a selfish bastard," she insisted, beginning to shake. "How dare he shirk away from his responsibilities! When Father found out he had disappeared, he…he…"

"Hey, don't overexcite yourself," Sasuke warned. "You don't want to start fainting again."

"What a pity that would be," she muttered. "At least I'll be free of this hell."

He smiled wryly. "It seems the possibility of death has hardened you, Hanabi."

"It's not a possibility," Hanabi contradicted, holding her head and falling back onto the pillow. "It's for certain that I'm going to die."

"But if Neji," Sasuke protested but she raised her voice, drowning him out.

"Neji won't come back, you idiot," Hanabi snapped, closing her eyes. "He's only ever thought of himself."

Sasuke glared at the Hyuuga heiress. "You shouldn't be so quick to judge."

"Why not?" she retorted. "My own cousin is condemning me to death. He's killing me, Sasuke. He's _murdering_ me! Of course, I wouldn't expect you to agree, especially when you and Neji are such good friends. Always trying to see the good in people, eh?"

"Not as much as you'd like to think." He studied Hanabi's frail body before standing up suddenly and heading over to the door.

"Leaving so soon?" Hanabi called, making him freeze. "You're just like my father. He couldn't stand it when I told him that I was ready to die. And then he really lost it when I told him that Neji wasn't coming back. Really, even Hinata got worked up about it. I can tell because she starts to stutter even more. Of course, it ended with Father storming out of the room, yelling over his shoulder that I would live."

She sighed peacefully, smiling how at how Sasuke hadn't moved, and continued her dialogue. "I didn't reply, just stuck my tongue out at him. Thank Kami he didn't see me or he would have lectured me on proper behavior and the like, not matter how close to death I may be. Hinata even raised her voice a little bit – can you believe it? – but then told me that Father shouldn't have yelled at me. She's right, of course. You shouldn't shout at a sick person. It could trigger death. I'm pretty sure, at least."

She pouted and waited for Sasuke's response. When none came, Hanabi sighed and sat up in her bed. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to prove you wrong, Hanabi-chan," Sasuke answered lightly, heading out the door. "I'm going to find Neji."

* * *

**a/n: **And the plot thickens! I'm trying to build the suspense without giving too much away and at the same time trying to catch the reader's interest. So if you, the reader, find yourself enthralled, please do review. XD. You know what? Review even if you want to b*tch to me about how bad your day was or brag at how amazing it was. I don't care.

Actually, I kind of do. So please have _some_ of it relate to the story. :)

Anyway, I originally plotted Hinata to be the 'sick and dying Hyuuga' but with the type of personality that they need just wouldnt fit Hinata, even if I mentioned that she was OOC. It's a bit too far of a stretch, even for me. So, I know Hanabi's supposed to be five years younger than Hinata (who would be sixteen) but we can tweak the facts a bit - this is an AU, after all - and say that she's thirteen.

I still believe that Neji's OOC. Personally, I think he's too nice. I'd love it if someone would either back me up or contradict me. I found a way to make him more standoffish that wouldnt change the plot too much and wouldnt appear too sudden, so if someone could let me know what they think of his character, that would be superbly hwamazing. :D

Sorry for the long Author's Note! And as always, PLEASE REVIEW!

Ahnyong~Cel :)


	5. Stay

**a/n:** Egad! Over a week between updates? *bows head apologetically* Lots of homework, quizzes, tests, projects and the like. What can you do? Some teachers are obsessed with making you work your arse off and have no time to write.

Oh well, here's Chapter Five! Hope you like it? (I was kinda losing interest during the middle...)

**disclaimer: **My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto.

Ahnyongg  
~Cel:D

* * *

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
**CHAPTER 5**  
~Stay~

By the time noon rolled around, Neji found himself situated in front of the television screen, staring at the screen without quite processing what he was watching. His feet were propped up lazily on a plush ottoman and he sunk even further into the cushions as the talk show host began to ramble about the death of her guest star's cousin.

Tenten had yet to emerge from her room, although the clothes had disappeared from outside her room the last time Neji had checked. He couldn't fathom what she was doing up there; the room held no source of entertainment. She could always wreck the room just out of spite, but then he would have heard a commotion and so far, the house was quiet.

Maybe she had left, escaped because she was afraid to face him. But no, that wasn't logical to him. She was brave, braver than he'd ever be, and would surely stay to confront him.

So why was it taking so damn long for her to show her face?

She was angry. That was a given. Neji supposed it took time for females to get over their various grudges and resentments.

But he was pleasantly surprised when Tenten walked in just in time to see a commercial for a documentary about the rare Peruvian butterfly later that evening. Neji held his breath, waiting for her breakdown, and observed as she got quite still.

_It's not a real butterfly. I'm safe. I'm safe. It can't hurt me. I'm safe._

She closed her eyes and began to murmur inaudible words of reassurance to herself yet Neji made no move to comfort her. When, at last, the commercial had ended and the opening theme for a soap opera had come on, she opened her eyes and grinned at Neji.

He straightened up and narrowed one eye, muting the television. "You should be here to apologize," he stated.

"And if I'm not?" she countered.

Neji stood up threateningly and edged closer to her – Tenten resisted the urge to take a step back. "Then we can compromise that we were both at fault. Of course, neither one of us have to apologize because we both know we're not brave enough to do it."

"I'm brave!" Tenten insisted, unaware that she was being tricked. "I have the guts to apologize! I'm sorry, Neji!"

He smirked and sat back down. "That's always nice to know. Good to see that you have some pride."

"You should apologize too," Tenten suggested.

"I find that requests for forgiveness are a sign of weakness," he told her. "I'd never stoop so low."

"But…when you apologize," she began, struggling to find the right words to express her feelings, "you…become the bigger person. Because you can accept your faults and admit when you are wrong, you become stronger."

"Hn."

Neji glanced at the screen as a pair of lovers embraced passionately and hit the power button in disgust. He looked at Tenten, who was still standing in the same spot, and motioned for her to come closer. She hesitated, then obliged, taking timid steps, apprehensive as to what he would do next.

Rolling his eyes, Neji gestured to the couch and she sat down rather reluctantly about two feet away. "God, woman," he muttered, shifting in the seat, "can you at least _pretend_ that you don't feel awkward? You make me feel like the bad guy."

"No, you're not the bad guy," Tenten reassured him. "You're…a good guy! A very good guy!"

He barked out a harsh-sounding laugh and shook his head. "No, no, I'm not. I'm a very bad person." Neji continued before Tenten could have a chance to respond. "I'm going into town today. We need to get more food because there are now two people living in this house and you need clothes." He eyed his clothes on her disapprovingly.

"I don't need new clothes," she insisted. "I'm perfectly fine in yours."

"But then what am I going to wear?" he inquired. "Whether you want new clothes or not, we're going. And even if I agreed with you, we still need food."

Tenten glanced down at her borrow clothes and sighed in resignation. "Fine."

"We can go now," Neji decided but stopped to think. "Unless, you want to eat something?"

"No, I'm not hungry," she lied, her cover blown when her stomach rumbled loudly.

His smirk reemerged as he grabbed for his car keys and wallet. "We can pick up something for you on the way."

Her mouth twitched and she followed him out the door and into the garage, where a dark blue convertible sat, waiting to be used. "Haven't driven her in a while," Neji muttered, climbing into the driver's seat as Tenten scrambled unceremoniously into the passenger seat.

Neji opened the garage door and backed out before getting onto the main road. "The closest town is about ten minutes from here," he explained. "We live in the outskirts."

Tenten didn't bother responding, instead closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of wind rustling through her hair, as if she were soaring miles above the ground, free, weightless, at peace…

Now that she was perhaps more civilized – a home, clothes to wear, food to eat – the world outside seemed very different to her. It no longer seemed as if everything and everyone was out to get her. In fact, it was tranquil, dabbed with a touch of serenity.

She faintly heard the radio switch on, the DJ announcing the top ten songs of the year, but tuned it out, preferring to listen to her own symphony of rushing winds, rustling leaves, and chirping birds accentuated with a splash of sunshine.

Only when Neji slowed to a stop in front of a supermarket did she open her eyes. Wordlessly, he motioned her to follow him inside and she shuffled after him, suddenly anxious to be around so many people.

During the years that she had spent as a homeless person surrounded by poverty, Tenten had tended to stay away from other, wealthier people, finding the scorn and disrespect that she received near unbearable. Those people were so terribly heartless to those with less that she had grown up with a warped sense of the world: nobody loved her.

But seeing the friendly smile that an old man gave them as Neji held the door for him to enter first, she relaxed a little. "So, uh, shopping," she began awkwardly, watching as Neji grabbed a shopping cart and headed down an aisle full of dairy products.

"Yes, something I expect you have no experience with?" he commented coolly, setting a gallon of whole milk into the cart.

"I…remember shopping with my mother," Tenten stated suddenly. "She'd push me around in the…shopping cart…and we'd laugh until our sides ached."

Neji looked at her curiously for a moment before heading over to the aisle three. "As tempting as that sounds, I think you are a bit too old for that kind of horseplay."

"It was only a memory, Neji," she laughed, unabashed. "I know how strange of a scene that would make."

"Hn." He surveyed the loaves of bread wrapped in their transparent blankets, his hand hovering over each one as he scanned the labels. "Do you have a preference?"

Tenten laughed nervously. "No, I'm not very picky."

"Thank heaven for that," he muttered, grasping a package of whole wheat bread and motioning for her to follow him into the fruits section.

She trailed after him – like a duckling follows its mother – all throughout the store as he chose the juiciest peaches, greenest lettuce, and freshest chicken, among others, but slowly grew tired of watching him scan the shelves for multi-grain pasta.

Silently, she slipped away, promising herself that she would return before he even knew she was gone, and began wandering around the supermarket. Tenten passed families – a mother and her son; a father and his daughter – but felt her heart ache especially hard when she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a ghost of her past life: a dark-haired couple with their young daughter squealing between them, her hair done up in two pigtails.

"That should have been me," Tenten muttered to herself dejectedly and found herself peeking around aisles so as not to lose sight of the happy trio, unaware of their stranger stalker following them.

So intent she was on not losing the family that Tenten had bumped into someone by the cosmetics. She stumbled back and apologized profusely before getting a good look at the lady.

She held her head with a dominance and authority that made Tenten's knees quiver slightly. Her green eyes bore into Tenten's hazel ones as she apologized once more. "I'm terribly sorry. I wasn't looking."

The lady sniffed and raised her nose to the sky before nodding curtly and striding away to the check-out line. There, her partner was waiting for her, loading the last of the groceries on the conveyer belt. "Find anything you wanted?" he asked amiably.

"No, although a girl ran into me," she answered tartly. "Really, the youth of these days."

"Relax; I highly doubt that she was contagious with anything," the man said, just to humor her. "Help me get these bags into the car. I want to head back to Suna as soon as possible."

"You're an idiot. Why not stay in Konoha where you'll be closer to your daughter?"

"It doesn't matter where I stay. I know I'll find her, Sayuri."

"I never said you wouldn't, Hotaka."

* * *

Neji slammed the trunk shut, satisfied that he had managed to fit all of the bags inside. He entered the car and gave Tenten a stern look before starting the engine. "Next time, stay with me."

"Yeah, I will." Tenten thought of the family again but quickly shook her head. There was no point in wishful thinking, knowing that it would never come true.

"Now, we need to get you some clothes," he announced, heading out of the parking lot and onto the freeway.

"You shouldn't spend your money on me," Tenten protested.

"I want my clothes back," he answered, smirking when she scowled.

He took the next exit and pulled into a parking space at _Kunoichi_, the high-end department store for women that Konoha was infamous for. (Its brother store, _Shinobi_, was across the street.)

Tenten reluctantly tagged along and outwardly winced when they stepped inside and were greeted with flashes of bright fluorescent light reflecting on the white marble floors and clouds of name brand perfumes that had congregated together and floated throughout the building.

"Cosmetics," Neji muttered, leading her over to the elevator. "We have to find the clothing department…Looks like it's on the third, fourth, and fifth floor." He looked visibly pained as he pressed the button with the silver '3' engraved on it.

"Never been shopping for women's clothing before?" Tenten guessed, teasing him slightly.

"Not really," Neji answered, frowning as he tried not to let the perfume befuddle his mind.

"Well, neither have I, so it'll be the first time for both of us!" she concluded brightly.

Neji made a noise of disbelief but didn't credit it with an answer. Instead, he signaled over a smartly-dressed saleswoman in her thirties and gestured to Tenten. "She needs a new wardrobe."

She smiled warmly and smoothed the lapel of her jacket, her fingers running over her golden nametag. "That's quite a tall order but I'm sure we'll be able to find something. My name's Naomi. Shall we start with some pants?"

"You're the expert," he deadpanned.

Still smiling, Naomi led the two to a whole section devoted to jeans and pulled out a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans. "I think you'd look very nice in this," she told Tenten. "What's your size?"

"She doesn't know," Neji interrupted without skipping a beat.

"If I had to guess," Naomi began smoothly, observing Tenten, "you would be about a size one. You have a very slender figure, dear. Why don't you run to the changing room and try them on?"

Ten minutes later, Naomi had brought over a large shopping cart and piled their selections onto it – four pairs of jeans, two khakis, one pair of yoga pants, three pairs of Capri's, and six pairs of shorts. Tenten's eyes widened at how much it would cost but Neji was unruffled as Naomi brought them to a section for shirts.

"You'd look wonderful in blue," Naomi commented brightly while holding up a turquoise shirt in front of Tenten. "Yes, very wonderful…"

Naomi was a very pleasant soul, able to make Tenten feel at ease as she brought down many different shirts to show her and Neji – floral, plaid, striped, paisley, solid – and quickly got acquainted with Tenten's sense of style.

Into the shopping cart went three camisoles, ten shirts of different color and design, two floral blouses, four tank tops, and five assorted jackets and cardigans. And after that, Neji mentioned the subject of shoes and Naomi made a fuss about coordinating outfits, finally emerging satisfied with six pairs of shoes.

"I think we also need a dress," Naomi said as she stacked the last of shoeboxes into the overflowing shopping cart. "Would you care to take a look?"

Neji, despite looking very pained at such tedious shopping, nodded. Tenten, however, wanted to protest but closed her mouth when he threw her a glare that clearly said 'Don't be so ungrateful.'

Naomi managed to find three dresses that fitted Tenten's liking – a light yellow eyelet sundress with spaghetti straps and a cinched waist, a light green halter dress with light pink and yellow flowers, and a simple black dress that Tenten doubted she'd ever have use for.

Finally deeming their shopping escapade completed, Tenten followed Naomi into the check-out line. Neji's face was impassive as the total came to over two thousand dollars. Naomi's eyes sparkled as he wordlessly handed over a shiny credit card and swiped it with deep satisfaction. Her commission would be greatly looked forward to.

As she checked the photo ID, her face grew sympathetic and looked at the boy in front of her kindly. "Hyuuga, Neji Hyuuga," Naomi muttered, oblivious to Neji growing rigid, "I'm sorry about your cousin. You are so brave, so noble, so charitable for…"

"Be quiet," Neji ordered. "You've mistaken me for someone else."

"Of course, my apologies," she answered, unperturbed. "Here's your receipt. Shall I send someone down to assist you?"

"No," he said shortly.

Neji took most of the bags into his own hands and shoved the last two at Tenten. Avoiding Naomi's friendly wave good-bye, he stalked to the elevator and said not a word until they had clambered back into his car.

"Don't you dare ask me what that was about," he said gruffly.

"But, Neji, what's wrong with your cousin?" Tenten shrank away at the murderous glare that he threw at her and instantly cursed her curiosity.

"That doesn't concern you. I don't want you to know." Neji turned on the radio in an attempt to discourage Tenten from any more inquiries. However, it hadn't worked as well as he had wanted it to.

"But why? What if I want to know? Is it really that bad?" She bit her lip as a sudden thought struck her. "You're not a criminal, are you? You didn't do anything to your cousin, did you?"

"Nothing, I did nothing, Tenten."

"Then it's all good!"

Neji shook his head.

"No, it's not. I should've done something."

* * *

Sakura shuffled through the papers on the clipboard, pausing to scribble down a note to herself now and then. She constantly swiped at the lock of bubblegum pink hair that had come loose from her messy braid and came to rest right in her line of sight.

It had been a busy day at the hospital and she had not yet had time to check-in with Tsunade, though it was well past her curfew. Ignoring a few more calls from her impatient mother, Sakura knocked on her boss's door but stopped when she heard footsteps.

Shizune, one of the hospitals more proficient surgeons, came around the corner, looking shocked. "My God, Sakura, you're still here? It's almost eleven! All the other interns left around three hours ago!"

"I haven't turned in my report to Tsunade-sama," Sakura explained, tapping her clipboard with the end of her pen.

"Well, she's with the Hyuuga girl," Shizune answered, already heading off. "If you run, you'll be able to catch her?"

Sakura shouted her thanks over her shoulder and took up a pace that was much faster than walking but couldn't yet be labeled as running. When she finally paused outside of Hanabi Hyuuga's room, she had to force herself to stop in time to avoid running into Tsunade's chest.

"You should've left ages ago," the medic-nin told her apprentice bluntly.

"Medical charts and records," Sakura panted, handing the clipboard to Tsunade. "You told me to give them to you in person, remember?"

Tsunade groaned, snatched the paper, and rubbed her temples while reviewing the papers. "Damn hangover," she muttered, "and that Hyuuga doesn't help at all. She's insistent on dying."

"Neji hasn't come back yet?" Sakura guessed.

"He will be back soon," Tsunade said with conviction. "From what Hanabi has told me, Sasuke left to go find him just this morning."

Sakura blinked, hoping she had heard wrong. "What?"

"She wouldn't give me any more details. You should talk to her," Tsunade suggested. "She might be more apt to tell you and give you more details. And convince her that death isn't her destiny."

"Very well."

With shaking hands, Sakura pulled open Hanabi's door and frowned at the girl lying motionless on the bed, her bedside lamp still on. It was obvious that she was feigning sleep as her breaths were too even and her eyelids fluttered every so often.

"I know you're awake, Hanabi. Stop pretending," Sakura advised, closing the door gently behind her.

Hanabi opened one eyes and looked at her with such an intense gaze that Sakura felt her heart suddenly race with apprehension. "So many visitors in one day," she commented lightly, as if conversing about the weather. "I really appreciate how much you all care. However, if the pattern continues, you'll storm out of here angrily. They always do."

"Is…is Sasuke really going to look for Neji?" Sakura murmured, afraid of the answer.

"That's very tactless of you, Haruno," Hanabi deadpanned. "Come to a dying person's room and ask about a perfectly healthy person's well-being?"

"You're not dying. Neji will come back," Sakura contradicted at once, unable to stand it when patients insisted on their own destruction. "He'll come around soon and then he will apologize for ever ignoring you."

The Hyuuga smiled wryly, enjoying a private joke. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes, I do. But I must go now. It's late, I need to sleep, and so do you." Sakura walked over, flipped off the lights and backed out of the room. "Remember, I wholly believe in that."

Hanabi scowled at the darkness but couldn't conjure up the strength to turn the lights back on. Instead, she lay motionless in her bed, thinking about what Sakura had said.

_He'll come around soon and then he'll apologize for ever ignoring you._

"Is that what you tell yourself every time Sasuke doesn't notice you?" Hanabi scoffed. "Stay in your fantasy then, but I've come to accept reality."

* * *

**a/n: **Wahh? So what do you think? Yes, Neji probably wouldn't spend two thousand dollars on just anyone. However, there's no price for love. Shoot me, that was terribly corny. XD

This chapter was a bit of a turning point, of Tenten crossing the threshold from poverty into the life of a financially-stable person. She's got a handsome man paying for her expenses, people treating her warmly, and more food than she could ever dream of. But not very informative concerning all the random little plot hints I've thrown in. Haha, I'll definitely talk about that later. ;)

So close yet so far away, eh? Tenten bumps into Sayuri and they go their seperate ways, not knowing that they're both tied together by Hotaka. You should have realized by now that he's Tenten's dad. XD

Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW. :D

Ahnyongg~  
Cel:D


	6. Friend

**a/n:** Oh, I guess I'll be doing weekly updates from now on, eh? Haha I guess it's better than monthly or yearly updates. (Argh, don't you hate it when you find an amazing story, reaf that it's incomplete, and realize that the author hasn't updated in months? Even years? The suspense always kills me a little inside. T-T)

Anyway, school and horseback riding and crap like that have been keeping me busy but I still managed to find time for this. :) Sasuke make's his lovely Uchiha appearance. Tad bit OOC because he's slightly social, more smug than antisocial. Keeps insisting that Neji and Tenten are 'going out'. Hehe.

So, enjoyy:)

**disclaimer: **My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto.

Ahnyongg  
~Cel:D

* * *

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
**CHAPTER 6**  
~Friend~

Tenten descended the stairs the next morning, still wearing Neji's sweatshirt and a pair of yoga pants. Neji looked up from his breakfast and quirked an eyebrow. "You're still wearing my clothes?"

"They're softer," she protested, bringing her lower lip into an uncharacteristic pout. Tenten cleared her throat and continued. "We…also forgot some pajamas, too."

"Shit." Neji mentally thwacked himself on the forehead. "We'll have to go later."

She nodded and took the seat beside him, looking around aimlessly.

"Go make yourself something," he ordered suddenly, jerking his head towards the refrigerator. "We've got bread, bagels, butter, jam, and you can even make some eggs and bacon as long as you don't accidentally burn the house down."

Tenten laughed shortly, stood up, and grabbed the opened package of bagels. Placing one on her plate, she began eating but grew uncomfortable when she noticed Neji staring at her. She indignantly swallowed and glared at him over her bitten bagel. "Stop looking at me like that," she demanded.

"Hn." He smirked and took a sip from his glass of water. "I just expected you to bombard me with inquiries. From the few days I've known you, it's become quite clear to me that you have no trouble speaking your mind."

"Damn right I don't." Tenten chomped down on her bagel as if to emphasize her point, chewing slowly, scrutinizing the taste. "This is…whole wheat," she announced, reading off of the label. "It tastes weird."

"It's healthy," Neji countered smoothly.

She frowned but took another bite, too proud to admit defeat. When the silence had stretched to an almost unbearable point, Tenten began speaking. "What are we going to do today?"

Then, as if the forces of the universe had decided to answer her question themselves, there was a rapid fire of knocks from the front door and Neji froze. "What the hell?" he muttered, slowly rising from his seat.

Tenten felt her heart beat a little more rapidly than normal. "I thought you said…that no one knew you were here…"

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too." Neji moved slowly towards the door, his hand held out defensively. She followed him slowly, unsure of what would happen next. She watched as Neji peered through the peephole and stiffened.

He swung open the door to reveal a handsome dark-haired boy looking very surprised indeed. "Well," the boy said with a slight smirk, one that could only rival the Hyuuga's, "I guess my investigating really did pay off."

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?" Neji asked calmly, only the slightly pulsing vein on the sides of his forehead giving away how irritated he was. "I didn't tell anyone that I was here."

"I snooped around, asked around, did some speculating," Sasuke answered casually, oblivious to Neji's glare, "and clearly, my speculations were on viable facts."

Tenten peered around Neji and it was then that Sasuke first noticed her.

"Your girlfriend?" he asked. "She's wearing your clothes. How cute."

"No." Neji placed his arm in front Tenten and pushed her behind him. "She's not." Turning his back to Sasuke, he glared at her. "You should go."

"But Neji-" she started but he silenced her with a dangerous look.

"Leave. Now."

Making no effort to disguise her scowl, Tenten shuffled upstairs and the two boys could distinctly hear a door slam shut and a body fall onto a bed.

"If she's not your girlfriend, what is she doing here, living with you?" Sasuke wondered, breaking the silence.

"It's complicated," Neji replied tartly. "I'd prefer not to explain it now." He moved away from the door and let Sasuke enter before glancing at the living room. "In fact, it's you who has a lot of explaining to do."

_"I'll explain, and I'll be sure to use small words so that _

_you'll be sure to understand. _

_You wart-hog-faced-baffoon!" _

_~**The Princess Bride**_

Tenten rolled over on her bed and peered at the ceiling, silently muttering curses under her breath. Neji could really be bossy jackass when he wanted to be. "Telling me to leave as if I were some annoying kid," she growled, giving her pillow a little punch to let off some steam.

What was he so insistent on keeping hidden from her? He sure as hell had a huge secret that he wouldn't disclose but why keep it from _her?_ She wouldn't wrongly judge – she never did, always having good reasons before doing so – and she wouldn't hold it over his head.

She realized that she wanted to know. And she was hurt that Neji wouldn't tell her.

Suddenly she sat up, listening as the door closed. Screw Neji and his 'leave'. He had no dominion over her, only the fact that he was a generous host. But he also necessitated answers from her – vital answers she assumed by the serious air he had when discussing his need for them – and he wouldn't get them if he threw her out of the house.

Silently, stealthily, she crept downstairs, hearing voices coming from the living room. Like a wisp of smoke, she floated into the kitchen and crouched against the wall. She would be able to hear them but they couldn't see her.

By the tone of anger in both their voices and how they raised them dramatically with each breath, Tenten knew something was terribly awry.

"You're an idiot, Neji!" Sasuke exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Stop acting as if you've been cast into an abandoned hellhole and actually live your life!"

"I'm not acting." Neji's voice was eerily impassive and Tenten could only imagine how Sasuke's face twitched slightly. "I'm headed for hell. I always knew I was. I just didn't know it would be so soon."

"You've got to suck it up!" Sasuke snapped. "Hanabi's condition has worsened since you left!"

"But I'm trying to change my destiny," Neji mused, as if Sasuke hadn't said anything. "I need answers, about the right way to live. If not, I might as well just die now."

Sasuke frowned. "You're crazy. Just accept it and return to your real home. You need to make the most out of the time you have left. Live, Neji, God damn it!"

"I don't know how to live." Neji raised his voice slightly, clearly becoming annoyed. "I'm trying to learn, to remember what I've forgotten."

"Bullshit." Sasuke slammed his fist against the coffee table.

"Fuck you."

And as she heard his footsteps draw nearer, Tenten couldn't scramble away fast enough and found herself crouch below a positively livid Neji. Hastily, she pulled herself up to a standing position and bowed quickly. "Sorry, Neji, I didn't mean-"  
She stopped speaking as the breath was knocked out of her lungs and felt the wall connect with her spine, acutely aware of Neji's hands pinning her against it.

"What did you hear?" he hissed.

"N-nothing," she gasped, shutting her eyes.

"Really?" He gave her a slight shake. "If you're lying…" Neji let the threat hang.

Tenten quickly shook her head, more perturbed about Neji's sudden behavior than fearful. "I swear I didn't…"

"You did," Neji countered, squeezing her arms until she was sure that the circulation had been cut off. "Tell me: what did you hear?" His eyes blazed furiously and Tenten realized at that point that she really was apprehensive of what he would do next.

"What the hell!"

She watched as Sasuke managed to pry Neji off of her and instinctively backed away. Neji pulled his arm away from Sasuke and sent him murderous glares. Sasuke, however, brushed them off as if he were used to it – such was the fate of befriending the Hyuuga – and gave Tenten a lopsided grin.

"You should probably head upstairs for a while," he suggested. "Your boyfriend seems to be going through his time of month."

Tenten turned and left before Neji opened his mouth, yet whether it was to deny their relationship or proclaim that he wasn't PMS-ing was never revealed to her. As she traveled up the stairs, she could catch the incensed timbre in Neji's normally composed voice and shuddered slightly at it.

Once inside her room, she sat cross-legged on her bed and involuntarily touched the spot where Neji had dug his hands into her arms. It was sore and she was sure that purple tendrils would blossom overnight but she wasn't worried about that.

She saw it as a reminder of how she and Neji were on two sides of the coin: she had escaped death and given a chance to live; he was being cheated out of life and handed a grave instead. The more she pondered about it, the more she realized that it was impossible for her to choose which fate was worse.

Whatever the case, their paths had crossed and Tenten supposed she'd have to be grateful for that. In a way, they would save each other – her from a lonely life, him from a lonely death. It was a nicely planned out deal destiny had given them.

Downstairs, it was quiet but Tenten didn't dare venture out yet. She knew how Neji could still convey his feelings of immense rage at a volume that seemed paradoxical. The other boy, Sasuke, seemed to do that as well so it was not a surprise they got along well enough.

But what had Sasuke come here for? It certainly wasn't for a friendly chat. No, more of a scolding, a lecture, reprimanding, trying to convince Neji to return.

He had mentioned a name as well.

_Hanabi._

Who was she?

A friend? A family member? A lover?

Tenten, who was at the moment too submerged in her thoughts to make note of an uncomfortable twist in her gut, traced the stitched on the blanket absentmindedly. This Hanabi needed something from Neji, something that he didn't want to give up. All Tenten could conjure up was that Neji was going to lose his life and she didn't want that.

She had to tell him that. She had to let him know that there was someone out there who didn't approve of his helping Hanabi. She had to before he did something crazy.

She didn't want time to rush by them, rustling past with fluttering gusts and rapidly changing colors, until one day she woke up and Neji's eyes remained closed. She didn't want it to be too late and regretting about what could have been.

With that, she practically threw herself at the doorknob and hurtled down the stairs like a rocket, pedaling the brakes in time to avoid colliding with Sasuke's chest. He smirked but seemed to look through her with those dark brooding eyes.

"Worried about him, eh?"

Tenten could only nod, intrigued by the way his hair seemed to defy gravity. He must use liable amounts of hair gel.

"I wouldn't get so worked up about what happened before," he stated, narrowing his eyes. "He's going through a lot of stress, denial, mixed feelings. I suppose it's good that he's got a girlfriend to distract him."

"I'm not-"

Sasuke held up a hand. "I'll rephrase that: denial from both parties."

Tenten glowered. "I'm not mad at him for that, you know. I was just…surprised…"

"That he's capable of anger?" he finished the sentence for her. "Yeah, Neji gives off an aura that could get angry but you can't picture it until it happens. Anyway, he should be calm enough now. Talking to you will be good for him." Sasuke pointed into the kitchen. "He's in there."

She nodded once and entered the kitchen, surprised to see Neji slumped over the table, his head held in his hands, looking utterly world-weary and defeated. His shoulders slumped with an immeasurable amount of weight and his long hair looked aberrantly frazzled.

"Neji," she whispered, taking a seat at the table, not expecting an answer, simply saying his name to alert him that she was with him.

They say like that for an unbearable amount of time, Neji motionless except for the occasional rise and fall as he breathed and Tenten glancing around the room, wanting nothing more than to leave but knowing that that would be unacceptable.

Finally, Neji took a deep breath and picked his head up off the table. His skin seemed to glow for a scientifically unexplainable reason and his eyes were dull, but a trickle of determination seemed to fan the flame.

"You must hate me," he said monotonously.

"No."

"Then you must think I'm a bastard," he corrected himself.

"You are."

In spite of his current mood, he couldn't help but scoff in amusement at her bluntness. "I suppose that's rightly placed. You have a right to be scared of me, even turn me into the police for harassment or something."

"I don't like the police." Tenten wrinkled her nose for emphasis.

Neji didn't answer but waited for her to speak.

Slightly uncomfortable under his gaze, Tenten cleared her throat and blurted out the first thing on her mind. "I don't want to lie to you, Neji, but I heard that you're going to die."

"Your honesty warms my heart," he deadpanned, looking as if nothing would make him happier than to strangle her then and there.

"In my defense, you were talking rather loudly," Tenten pointed out. "But…I'm sorry to hear that. I don't want you to die."

"Don't remind me," he warned, the dangerous glint back in his eye.

She looked away. "Then I'll tell you instead why I'm so messed up."

"Your past?" he guessed.

"My past and all the traumas," she confirmed. "Your fear of death is normal-" Tenten paused, seeing him flinch, but plowed on. "-but my fear of butterflies is extremely abnormal. I'm probably the only one in the world with that trepidation."

"I'm sure you have your reasons."

"I do," she agreed, tapping her fingers on the table twice. "And since we're on the subject, I might as well tell you." She hurried on, intent on telling her story before Neji could protest. "I was six when it had happened. A few days before, my mother had warned me not to touch a butterfly wing because terrible things would happen. '_In a way, it will be trapped, hindered by its own fragility,' _she told she said that, I had assumed that she was referring to a butterfly's broken wings.

"I had heeded her warning for days before desire had gotten the better of me on the afternoon of my mother's death. I had grazed the wing of a blue butterfly and in my ecstasy, made the mistake of picking it up." Tenten smiled wryly but Neji did not return it, his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. "Needless to say, it slowly died as my mother called me in for dinner.

"My father was to return home after a business trip that day, just in time for my birthday, and I had run upstairs to freshen up when there were these weird noises coming from downstairs – thumps, crashes, clattering. At the time, I assumed it was my mother being her usual clumsy self but when I entered the kitchen, she was dead.

"The front door was ajar," she continued, taking no notice of the rivers of tears that cascaded down her flushed cheeks.

Neji's hand twitched to grab napkin and hand it to her but he was enthralled in her life's story.

"The front door was ajar," Tenten repeated, trying to compose herself. "But there was a note taped to the door, written in my father's handwriting. It said…'_I'm not coming back'."_

She took a deep shuddering breath. "So I ran. I ran into the woods that lined our yard and didn't look back. From then on, looking at butterfly freezes me with fear, transporting me back to that harrowing time. For years afterwards, I lived off of my own wit and cleverness and fast-thinking. Without it, I wouldn't have lived past age seven. My mother's dead, my father's probably in prison for killing her and I'm alone. Yet, somehow, I found a reason to live without knowing what tomorrow would hold."

"You have the answers," Neji concluded as if in a trance.

"I might," Tenten commented, cocking her head slightly, "but I don't know them consciously."

Neji pursed his lips and got up from the table. Tenten mirrored his action and waited for what he had to say. "I appreciate that you told me. It's good to have an honest friend."

_Friend._ The word made her heart smile. She was glad that he found some value in a homeless orphan.

Sasuke looked up when he heard Neji enter, Tenten trailing behind him. "I see you two lovebirds have worked everything out?"

Neji chose to ignore that inquiry. "I've decided I'm going home. If Tenten can face such a cruel and horrible reality, I'm capable of that as well."

_Friend._

And then, for some unknown reason, Tenten felt her heart stop smiling and plummet down beneath the floorboards. Neji was going back home and there was no use for her any more. Friends came on different levels, she realized. She was on the lowest level while Sasuke and the rest of the Hyuuga household were higher up on the ladder.

Of course he would choose the latter.

Sasuke broke into a smile and clapped a hand onto his friend's shoulder. "That's great."

"Yeah, yeah," Neji murmured, brushing off Sasuke's hand. "I need to pack. You wait down here. Tenten can help me."

"Hai."  
Neji closed his bedroom door behind her and pulled a pair of suitcases out from under his bed. "I thought I wouldn't ever have to use these."

Tenten said nothing and she did nothing either. Somehow, Neji didn't need her to do anything, instead perhaps simply wanting her company as he admitted defeat. She watched him fold his clothes and pack them into neat little stacks, easily zippering them up.

He walked into his closet and pulled out another pair of suitcases and thrust them at Tenten. "Here."

"Oh, I- uhh…" Tenten stammered, unable to grasp the handles.

Neji raised an eyebrow. "You're leaving as well, aren't you?"

The corners of her mouth threatened to sag into a depressing countenance but she forced them to curve upward into a carefree smile. However, her attempt failed and produced something close to a grimace. "Oh, yeah, I guess I am."

"Go pack your stuff," he commanded. "I'll be downstairs waiting for you."

…_so we can say good-bye._

Though he hadn't said it aloud, Tenten was sure that that was what he was thinking.

_"It's weird, you know the end of something great is coming, _

_but you want to hold on, just one more second,_

_just so it can hurt a little more."_

_~**Unknown**_

"So, are you going to tell me who that girl is?"

"Her name's Tenten," Neji replied, knowing full well that that wasn't what Sasuke was asking.

"But who is she?"

Neji frowned at the smirking Uchiha and wondered how the hell he had ever become friends with him. "A friend."

Sasuke gave his head a slight shake, as if reprimanding a child and Neji stiffened indignantly. "She's _living_ with you, Hyuuga. I bet she's not just any friend."

"She's a friend who needs help," Neji clarified, not exactly lying. He lifted his suitcase easily into the trunk of Sasuke's car.

"Hn. How long have you two known each other?"

"About four days."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "That's all?"

"It feels like much longer," Neji reassured him.

"You must really like her then," mused Sasuke. "Is she coming back with you?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Of course."

"Are you sure? She doesn't have any other plans?"

"Uchiha," Neji sighed, "what are you getting at?"

Sasuke pointed to the side of the house, where a figure was walking towards the forest, two suitcases in tow. "I think she assumed you weren't taking her."

"What the hell?" Neji murmured, surprised that Tenten had been so willing to leave him. "Tenten!" he shouted at her retreating back. "Where do you think you're going? The car is over here?"

She lifted her head and he could see the shock in her eyes. "What? I'm going with you?"

"Obviously." He strode over and reached out a hand then stopped. "Unless, of course, you don't want to."

"I do," she answered, allowing him to pull her luggage into the trunk of Sasuke's car, feeling elated, like walking on the clouds, happiness warming her through and through. "I do want to go with you."

* * *

**a/n:** Wahh, did you think Neji was really gonna let Tenten leave him like that? No way in hell. :)

Haha so I believe Sasuke is slighty uncharacteristic, says too many words in my opinion. Then again, he would be a rather boring person if he never talked. -_- Besides, he's vital to the plot. I'm debating whether or not making him a love interest in this story. Neji would ultimately win in the end, of course, but love triangles are always interesting to write. And I'll be able to add jealousy in without changing the plot. In fact, it flows rather nicely if I think about it.

Ehh, tell me what you think in a review. *hinthint* ;)

Anyway, for some reason unbeknownst to even myself, I have decided to make a website on tumblrdotcom. It's very random, but deep. I think it'll help me improve my writing, sort of like a diary but I'd never call it that. Blog, for lack of better word. Basically reflections on life and whatnot, everyday happenings. I'd appreciate it if you'd check it out. :) Maybe even let me know how you like it?

Link is on my profile:D

And remember, review and I will love you forever. 3

Ahnyongg  
~Cel:D


	7. Requital

**a/n:** Wahh? I'm a day late with the updating. *bad bad bad* Forgive me, my life is just so busy right now. XD Hiashi makes his appearance. I don't know, he might be out of character. -_-

Enjoyy!

**disclaimer: **My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto.

Ahyongg  
~Cel:D

* * *

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
**CHAPTER 7**  
~Requital~

Somewhere between scrambling into the backseat unceremoniously and tuning out Sasuke's reprimanding directed at Neji, Tenten had dozed off, oblivious to the world around her. To her relief, her dreams were pure and untainted by any winged insects, leaving her to hurtle through a serene dreamland where all was right.

And in a way, her peaceful dreams paralleled the start of her new life, one where she was wanted and everything seemed as sure as they could get. She was no longer homeless, instead living with a newfound friend – and a handsome one at that.

Of course, she didn't see it that way. Living the unusual life of isolation from other humans, Tenten was not brought up to pay attention or be able to comprehend those telltale signs of attraction: flushed cheeks, beating hearts, and desires to impress. To her conscious mind, Neji was nothing more than a kind-hearted person who did have some rough edges.

Soon, Tenten felt someone shaking her shoulders, bidding her to wake up. Slowly, the sleep retreated from her eyes and she was able to see that she had fallen on her side. As she sat up, she was acutely aware of the soreness that shot up her arms.

Sasuke stood outside the opened car door, looking rather amused, ignorant of the gaggle of girls giggling and pointing at him behind his back. They appeared to be in a strip mall parking lot. "Have a nice sleep?"

Tenten nodded distractedly, glancing at the empty driver's seat. "Where did Neji go?"

"He went to go get some ice for your…you know…the bruises he gave you." He fell silent, as if he felt that this was a touchy subject.

Frowning, she pushed the sleeve of the sweatshirt up and seemed to look right through the faint purple smudges that graced her upper arm. "That's nice of him."

"Neji was never the romantic type," Sasuke commented pensively. "Then again, he never had a girlfriend, more like one night stands."

If Tenten was confused about the terminology, she didn't let it be known. "Yeah…"

Sasuke smirked then looked up as he heard Neji approaching. "Here comes Prince Charming. I'd better go before he murders me for 'flirting' with his girlfriend." He climbed into the driver's seat and Neji took his place by the open car door, holding out two icepacks for Tenten.

She took them and placed one on each of her arms, sighing audibly in relief.

"Make sure they don't melt and drip onto the seats," Neji warned her. "The water will damage the leather." He shut her door and took up his own position in the driver's seat.

However, Sasuke felt the need to comment. "You treat her rather well."

"Shut up, Uchiha."

"_Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything,  
__and love is all there is."  
__**~Gary Zukav**_

"The hospital?" Tenten murmured as Neji cut off the engine.

"We're here to visit Hanabi." Neji offered no more explanation as he exited the car and strode to the front door.

"His younger cousin," Sasuke explained. "There's no need to be jealous."

Tenten frowned and followed the other two into the lobby, where Neji walked past the receptionist desk. As she hurried down the hallways after him, she could hear the receptionist asking them who they were here to see. Glancing at Neji, he seemed unperturbed as he pressed a button on the elevator, watching the doors slide shut.

On what seemed to be the fourth level, the elevator groaned to a stop and the doors opened to reveal a pristine white hallway with the occasional splash of blue as a doctor walked into a room.

"This way," Sasuke pointed out, heading in the opposite direction of Neji. "Her room was changed."

Neji nodded and fell into step behind his friend while Tenten trailed behind, feeling awkwardly out of place.

Sasuke stopped in front of a closed door, the curtains drawn shut tightly over the windows. Neji did not hesitate to enter the room, although Sasuke and Tenten slowly made their way in.

The girl in the sheets couldn't have been more than ten or eleven with her shrunken frail body but the light of a fiery teenage spirit was reflected in her pale eyes. They widened in surprise when they caught sight of Neji and sent waves of gratitude to Sasuke. However, she kept her face impassive.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry," she said quietly. Her voice was not begging for forgiveness, simply stating her thoughts. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you would succeed."

"If I had been in your place, I would have been skeptical as well," Sasuke answered calmly.

Hanabi nodded and glanced at her cousin. "Neji-nii-san, I'm glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you're still alive." Neji was aware of Sasuke and Tenten exiting the room but did not bother to turn around and watch them go, instead focusing his gaze on Hanabi.

"Are…are they gone?" Hanabi whispered a millisecond after the door closed.

"Yes, there's no need to act all tough now, Hanabi-chan," Neji answered, walking to the side of her bed.

Hanabi reached out and trapped Neji in a surprisingly strong embrace for one so sick. She sniffled and Neji could feel a dampness growing on his shoulder from the tears she fought viciously to hold back but managed to slip through. He returned the hug with perhaps a little less vigor but patted her back comfortingly all the same.

"Hey, don't cry. You're embarrassing me, Hanabi," Neji muttered.

"I'm just…just glad that you finally came back." Hanabi let go and gave him a watery, apologetic smile.

"I have a duty, don't I?" Neji smiled wryly.

She shook her head slowly, tears still trickling down her cheeks. "I have no need for you anymore. Your 'duty' is nonexistent."

Neji could feel his eyes bulging out of his sockets in surprise. "They, they found a cure? A match?"

"An alternative was discovered, Neji-nii-san."

Though Neji could not quite put his finger on it, there was something amiss with the look in her eyes.

"_After all, everybody has secrets  
__and there are some things that  
__nobody knows about you."__  
_**_~Halle Berry_**

"We need to give them some privacy," Sasuke explained. "Hanabi is very insistent on appearing tough and strong in front of people outside of her family."

Tenten nodded and took a seat on a bench a little further down the hall. Sasuke moved to sit beside her but was engulfed by a whirlwind of pink hair and white lab coats.

"Sasuke-kun!"

He did not look to pleased to see Sakura but had enough charisma to allow her to hug him for three more seconds before prying her off with some difficulty. Sakura looked unabashed, however, and proceeded to beam at him, her clipboard tightly clutched over her chest.

"You're back!" she breathed, as if not quite believing it. "D-did you find Neji? Is he ready? Because I can schedule the surgery right aw-"

She stopped speaking when Sasuke leaned in and positioned his mouth by his ear. "Shut up. She doesn't know."

"Who…?" Sakura slowly rotated on the spot – too puzzled to revel in their momentary intimacy – and caught sight of Tenten sitting on the bench. "Oh, dear, I must have made a mistake! Yes, yes, wrong person; terribly sorry, please forgive me." Her cheeks were flushed as she frantically flipped through the papers on her clipboard, refusing to look at Tenten.

"Sasuke," Tenten started quietly, "what are you keeping from me?"

He shot her a 'this is not the right time' look and felt herself shrinking away slightly – somehow, he was more intimidating than Neji. "You heard her, right? She made a mistake."

Perhaps it was lucky that Neji chose this time to walk out of the room, lest Sasuke completely bore a hole through Sakura with his withering, accusing glare. "Who made a mistake?" he inquired, looking from Tenten to Sakura to Sasuke before his eyes were drawn back to Tenten.

"I did," Sakura offered at once, giving Neji a quick bow. "I…I showed up at the wrong room. Anyway, I must go or else Tsunade-sama will be angry. Bye, Sasuke-kun! Bye…" She stopped, racking her brains for a name that hadn't been told to her.

"Tenten."

"Yes, yes, bye Tenten." Sakura flew down the hallway, nearly colliding with an oncoming nurse.

"I know my own name, Neji," Tenten protested, standing up and brushing nonexistent dust off of her pants.

"You looked too perplexed to answer," he said, sending Sasuke a probing look. Sasuke shook his head ever-so-slightly and Neji seemed to relax. "Anyway, we should probably head back to the mansion."

_Mansion?_

Of course, Tenten was fully aware of the prestige and wealth of the Hyuuga family – large vacation homes, money to throw around frivolously, strangers recognizing their kin at a second's glance – but never had she felt more intimidated.

These people were on completely different ends of the spectrum, nearly polar opposites. Experience had taught her that many well-to-do families often looked down upon those unfortunate enough to be cursed with poverty and a mediocre family tree. What would they say when they saw Neji accompanied by an orphan?

Of course, it wouldn't be the first time she had been ostracized for being homeless – a 'hobo' if a child dared to use vernacular. She hadn't had much interaction with 'normal' civilians but they all treated her as if she were a different species, unknown and alien; therefore, frightening.

In the lobby, the receptionist blocked their way, reprimanding them about 'inappropriate conduct' and 'the appalling lack of respect'. After a few well-said words from Sasuke, they soon left her blushing and made their way to Sasuke's car.

Tenten was once again shunted to the backseat as Sasuke took the driver's seat and Neji the passenger's. She folded her arms and sighed deeply.

That girl at the hospital had said something.

Something about a surgery.

"Sasuke," she called out, "who was that girl?"

"Her name's Sakura, one of the interns at the hospital," he answered, bracing himself for inevitable next question.

"Oh, well…Sakura, she was saying something about a-"

"Hanabi looks better after just seeing you, doesn't she?" Sasuke asked Neji suddenly, diplomatically changing the subject but keeping his eyes determinedly at the road.

"Yes, although she's worse than I remember." Neji turned around to see Tenten's infuriated face and smirked slightly. "Did the doctors ever mention a cure?"

Sasuke cocked his head, puzzled. "No, never."

"But Hanabi…" Neji shook his head. "Never mind." He turned around to look at Tenten, who was fuming silently. "Hiashi-sama will probably allow you to stay at the compound for a while."

"Hiashi-sama?" she repeated, furrowing her eyebrows slightly.

"My uncle," he explained, "and Hanabi's father."

"Oh."

Sasuke slowed down in front of a large wrought-iron gate. Beyond the fence, Tenten could catch sight of an imperial mansion with many embellishments surrounded by what appeared to be a courtyard and an elaborate garden.

He rolled down the window and spoke into the microphone. "Sasuke Uchiha," he said.

The miniscule light to the side flashed twice and the gates swung in to admit them and their car began the trek up the immensely long driveway.

The perfectly manicured lawn, brightly blooming flowers, and incredibly clear waters of the fountain reflected just how wealthy the Hyuuga family was. If she had been any other outsider, Tenten would have been led to believe that all Hyuugas lived this flawlessly beautiful lifestyle. But, knowing what she did, she realized that this faultlessness seemed to be hiding the truth about the family.

Underneath the luxurious furnishings and aristocratic impression, there was a darkness lurking just below the shimmering waters. Not many knew about it simply because they didn't know how to read the signs.

"I'm not going in," Sasuke announced, stopping in front of elegant white marble steps that led to a large gilded set of double doors. He exited the car and the other two followed him to the trunk. "You Hyuugas never like having company."

Neji nodded, deciding not to contradict, and pulled down his two suitcases with surprising ease. Tenten, determined not to be outdone, grasped the handle, tugged a few times, and was pleasantly astounded at how light it was. However, it wasn't until the suitcase hit the ground that she realized Sasuke had assisted her.

Because her back was turned, Tenten was not able to catch Neji's scowl as he lifted down her other suitcase. Sasuke took note of this and smirked outwardly before patting Tenten's shoulder lightly. "Try not to go too crazy," he advised her. "The Hyuugas can do that to you."

Tenten smiled good-naturedly and waved slightly as Sasuke drove away. Frowning, Neji gestured for her to stop and walked up to the front door.

"Our suitcases," she reminded him, giving her suitcase an extra heave.

He simply shook his head and knocked twice on the door. Within moments, the door swung open to reveal a middle-aged woman dressed in a simple white and black uniform. She blinked twice upon seeing Neji, looking awestruck. "Master Neji, is it…is it really you?"

"I'd like these suitcases-" Neji gestured to said suitcases and Tenten standing beside them. "-brought upstairs to my room. Tell my uncle I await his presence in the drawing room."

"Right away, Neji-san." The maid bowed her head quickly and ushered them in. Catching sight of Tenten, she glanced questioningly at him.

"She's coming with me."

The maid nodded once more and called for a butler.

The foyer floor was pieced together by slabs of iridescent marble that reflected the light from the crystal chandelier hanging above their heads. A grand staircase spiraled its way down, the railings carved delicately out of polished silver. The ceiling stretched for at least three stories and was almost lost amidst the grandeur.

Neji led Tenten into the drawing room, a large room off to the side of the house, and gestured for her to take a seat on one of the fancy silken couches.

As he sat beside her, there was the sound of rushing footsteps and a regal man strode in, his head held high with dominion. He wore a traditional white kimono that was the exact hue of colorlessness as his eyes.

"You've returned," he deadpanned.

"I went to visit Hanabi," Neji replied coolly, returning his uncle's gaze with one of his own. "She was happy to see me."

Hiashi-sama sighed and rubbed his temples, shaking his head slowly. "Are you even aware of how much her condition has depreciated since you disappeared without a trace?"

"I'm aware."

"I should denounce you as my nephew here and now."

"I advise you not to do so." Neji did not cower under his uncle's daunting gaze.

"Have you decided to accept your destiny?"

"I take on all responsibility. She will recover."

"Are you sincere?"

"She will recover," Neji repeated, "whatever the cost."

Hiashi held his gaze for a moment longer before dropping it. "I uphold you to your promise." He caught sight of Tenten on the couch and his eyes widened slightly. "And this is?"

"My friend," Neji replied at once. "Really, it was her who convinced me to return."

"For that, I am eternally grateful."

"She also needs a place to stay for a while," Neji added. "It took much self-sacrifice for her to accompany me all this way."

Hiashi called for a maid. "This young lady will be housed in the quarters beside Neji's."

Outside the room, Tenten was startled to see a young woman leaning against the wall outside, her pale eyes and dark hair a sure sign that she was a Hyuuga. Her face held an insecurity that Tenten couldn't quite understand and when she talked, she stuttered, as if unsure of her own words.

"Th-thanks for bringing N-Neji-nii-san back," she muttered, bowing once.

"It's a-alright." Tenten found herself parroting the girl's stutter and barely had time to realize it before she felt Neji herding her away. "Who was she?"

"Hinata Hyuuga," Neji answered swiftly, climbing the staircase, "my cousin, Hinata's older sister and Hiashi-sama's oldest daughter. She should be your age; sixteen, right?"

"Yes." She hesitated as they walked down a long dimly lit hallway. "And you are?"

"Seventeen," he replied, stopping in front of a closed door. "This is your room. The maids should have brought them up here. My room is across the hall." Neji jerked his head towards the parallel door.

"Right. Arigato, Neji. Really." Tenten gave a bow, focusing on her feet. When she finally straightened up, his door was swinging shut.

"_No my friend, darkness is not everywhere,  
__for here and there I find faces illuminated from within;  
__paper lanterns among the dark trees."_

_**~Carole Borges**_

The night could have gone worse, Tenten reflected while having a staring match with her ceiling. Upon entering the dining hall, she felt all eyes on her, iridescent and intimidating. As she took a seat beside Neji, she was aware of the amount of murmuring going on about her – this brown-eyed girl who seemed to have cropped up among them.

The elders that sat at the far end of the table quickly took to ignoring her, save for a kindly looking grandmother who smiled slightly when she caught her eye. The children came up to her at once, displaying that juvenile innocence all youngsters had, and began to converse about meaningless topics that left Tenten quite amused. Everyone in between – the middle-aged and teenagers – watched her curiously, deeming themselves neutral for the time being.

A knock on the door brought Tenten out of her pensiveness. Outside was Neji, holding a bundle of white silk. Upon seeing her, he thrust the cloth into her hands and only spoke when her eyes prompted him to do so.

"Nightgown," he said, giving it a slight tap, "I borrowed it from Hinata because we didn't have a chance to go shopping for some pajamas, remember?"

"Ah, thank you, Neji." She hugged the fabric to her cheek, perhaps in an attempt to further exhibit how grateful she was.

Neji cleared his throat and patted her shoulder lightly. "Just know that you owe me a lot." With that, he spun on his heel and strode into the hallway, taking great care to shut his own door with a resounding thud that permeated Tenten's thoughts.

Her shoulder where he had touched her burned, mimicking her cheeks.

"I must be coming down with a fever," Tenten murmured, closing the door.

* * *

**a/n: **Ahh, Tenten's so naive. In a way, she feels smart but in reality, she falls a little short. This stubbornness - and blindness to some extent - is a characteristic I think fits her reasonably well.

And since we're on the subject of characters, I feel that Hiashi wasn't spot-on as I had hoped for. I feel as if there is something missing. Try to enlighten me with a review, ok? XD

So, the plot thickens, blah blah blah. Are you interested in what happens next?

Yes, Sakura will be acting like an obsessive fangirl in this story. *shrugs* I rather like her character without this infatuation but ah, well. As for whether there will be any SasuSaku, it is yet to be decided.

And regarding the other characters - Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, Lee, Gai etc - they will be making their appearances slowly. Although, they might not be such a big deal, just show up as extras or part of the 'scenery'. Haha

PLEASE REVIEW :)

Ahnyongg  
~Cel:D


	8. Sacrifice

**a/n:** Oh, such a short chapter. Only 2000 words? The next chappie will be longer, although I can't say if it will be as interesting. This chapter gets pretty intense.

Enjoy. :)

**disclaimer:** My birth certificate does not say Masashi Kishimoto. Nor am I a man. Therefore, I do not own Naruto.

**WARNING: **Some pretty hardcore language and the lead-up to major angst. You have been warned. ;)

Ahnyongg  
~Cel:D

* * *

**BUTTERFLY WINGS**  
**CHAPTER 8**  
~Sacrifice~

"Why the hell are you dragging me outside now? It's two in the fucking morning."

The head of the police fought away the sleep from his eyes as his pupils adjusted to the darkness.

"I found a clue. A note, sir."

The chief folded his arms tightly over his chest, glaring at his companion. The newly-appointed officer was young, in his early twenties, but eager and determined to contribute some glory to his already respected family. "That's why you dragged me out here? Because of a goddamn piece of paper?"

The officer shuddered slightly and ducked under the caution tape. "It's important, sir." He reached down and took hold of the tiny piece of paper, waving like a white flag, screaming defeat.

Intrigued, the chief snatched it out of his hand and studied it. "This…this doesn't prove that he's still alive. It could be a joke, a prank, for all we know."

"I've called for the CSI to come in to check it for fingerprints," the officer told him. "If there's a possibility that we can find out who tore this family apart, we should try, shouldn't we?"

"Haru, it's been ten years. I have no fucking idea why you are so insistent on solving this crime. Any clues that would've led us to the culprit are long gone." The chief sighed and kept analyzing the paper. "The only reason why I let you carry on with your tomfoolery was because your father was a great man and a good friend. You do realize that, right?"

"Of course, sir."

"Such a tragedy that he died. God bless his soul."

"And the girl?"

"She must be dead as well, slaughtered alongside her mother."

Haru frowned. "There's no evidence though. We never found her body."

"She might as well be dead," the chief told him. "No child can survive on the streets for ten years and still be sane or healthy or alive."

"Sir…"

"Save it, Haru. Just wait here until the CSI come. Then you can go home."

He paused before nodding. "Hai, Uchiha-san."

_"When you return after all these years not everything will be as you remembered it."_

_**~Unknown**_

Neji fidgeted in his place outside of Tenten's door, shifting from one foot to the other as he knocked once again. From inside, he could hear moving about sleepily, unaware that the night had changed into the morning. She was oblivious to the chaos and confusion that rippled across the Hyuuga household and sparing no one.

When finally Tenten opened the door and greeted him with a sleepy 'what is it?', Neji grabbed onto her wrist and gave her a serious look. Her brown eyes widened considerably at the somber expression on his face and the last bit of drowsiness ebbed away.

"I don't want you to question anything," he said in a low growl, handing her a jacket, one that looked to be his own and at least three sizes too big. "Put this on and follow me. Don't ask questions. Just do it."

Taking note of the graveness of his voice, Tenten pulled on the jacket over her nightgown and just had enough time to slip on a pair of flip-flops before Neji once again latched himself onto her wrist and dragged her into the hallway.

She was confused, disoriented, as he led her down the hallway and down a flight of stairs, bursting out into the courtyard. The clouds were dark gray and low in the sky, threatening to let down their heavenly tears at any moment.

Standing amidst the unfitting bright flowers were the Hyuugas, crying and sobbing and holding onto each other for support at this unknown tragedy. They clutched onto each other for support until they blended into strange four-legged, two-headed creatures with dark manes, white eyes, and waterfalls for cheeks.

Neji ushered her past everyone but she heard one child mutter, "Hanabi-chan is missing?" as she passed by. In his car, he was silent but radiated a feeling of apprehension strong enough to make Tenten nervous.

What had happened to Hanabi?

What was _going_ to happen to her?

"Neji," Tenten whispered, keeping her eyes straight ahead and focused on the road.

"I'm not going to answer you." He wouldn't look at her either.

"Is she missing?"

He jerked the steering wheel harder than he needed to as he rounded the corner, throwing Tenten against the door. She hardly felt the pain and refocused her eyes on the trees rushing by outside. "Is she?" she repeated.

"Damn it," he cursed, making no effort to disguise the vulgarity. "Just shut the fuck up. I don't know shit."

"Ok."

She was smart enough to recognize the warning signs of Neji's anger.

This time, the receptionist did not stop them. Rather, she fell into step beside them and emptied out the crowded elevator with one intimidating look. She allowed them to go up themselves, going back to her desk to pray for a happy turnout.

Upstairs, in the Intensive Care Unit, doctors and nurses ran about uncoordinatedly, shouting things to each other that Tenten couldn't understand. They took no notice of their appearance and went about their hurried, urgent business as if Neji and Tenten were part of the scenery.

"Come on," Neji said rather gruffly, taking her upper arm in an iron grip and steering her around the careening hospital staff.

Hanabi's room was empty, the pristine white bed sheets pull taut and straight, neatly made. Hiashi and Hinata stood beside it, staring at something no one else could see.

Neji let go of Tenten's hand and rushed inside. "Where is she?" he demanded. "Where has she gone?"

"They are currently searching for her." Hiashi's voice was dead.

"How long has it been?" Neji asked.

"We got here five minutes ago," Hinata whispered. In light of the situation, she seemed to have lost her stutter. "They say that they discovered she was gone five minutes before that."

"Damned hospital," Hiashi growled. "They cannot even keep track of a little girl. Ridiculous."

Tenten did not know what to say as the little family stood there and breathed a sigh of relief when Sakura ran in and announced breathlessly, "We found her! She's on the roof!"

The Hyuugas were pulled out of their trance and quickly moved to follow the pink-haired intern up a flight of steps that seemed to go on forever. Upon finally reaching a door, Sakura fiddled with the keyhole and number pad. There was a _click_ and the door swung open to reveal the flat, bland rooftop of the Konoha Hospital.

The clouds seemed even more ominous, taking on a darker hue of gray that was frighteningly apprehensive.

Right by the edge of the roof stood a solemn tiny figure, peering at the landscape below, her head cocked slightly to the side as if admiring a beautiful work of art. Her hair whipped her face as the winds swayed her back and forth, mirroring her thoughts. The loose blue hospital gown fluttered, revealing her pale skeletal body.

When she turned around, her white eyes were full of compassion and understanding and love. There was not a trace of uncertainty or fear. Though no words had been spoken, everyone present knew what she was going to do.

"Hanabi," Sakura started breathlessly, her voice shaking, "don't. Don't even think about it."

"Sakura…" The girl smiled peacefully and Sakura had to take a step back to compose herself. "Thank you for taking care of me, even when you knew I would die. Thank you for at least trying to make me believe I was going to live."

"You _are_ going to live, Hanabi!" Hinata shrieked. "We'll make sure of it!"

The youngest Hyuuga once again flashed that calm smile but when she spoke, her words were directed at Neji. "You don't need to die for me now, Neji-nii-san."

Neji sharply drew in his breath.

"I realized that I'm more cut out for death than you are."

_My heart, it's throbbing so hard. Don't die because of me. Don't throw your life away._

"I know I may be a brat sometimes but it never meant I didn't care about you."

_Is this the right choice? What should I do? What _can_ I do?_

"So, Neji, I'm going to die for you." Hanabi shrugged shyly. "It's pretty heroic of me, isn't it?"

_No, it's not. It's cowardly. It's all out of fear. Just walk away. Don't jump._

"I'm going to die so you don't have to. You're welcome."

_No thanks. No thanks. No thanks. I don't want it. _You_ don't want it either._

"I have to do it."

_No, you don't! It's always responsibility, isn't it? It's always destiny, fate, the forces of the universe! Stand up for yourself and change that! It doesn't have to be like this!_

"Father, sister, I love you. And Tenten, I know we would have been great friends."

Neji felt his heart stop as he watched Hanabi take a step into nothingness. She was held aloft by invisible strands, time slowing to a halt around them as she was suspended in midair like a heavenly figure gracing them all.

"Good-bye."

"_Suspect each moment, for it is a thief, tiptoeing away with more than it brings."_

_**~John Updike**_

_"Neji, how old are you?"_

_The little boy looked up from his book and looked into his uncle's intense eyes. "I turn seven this year, Hiashi-sama."_

_Hiashi nodded slowly and bent over him. "Are you an obedient child?"_

_Seven-year-old Neji bobbed his head pleasantly, eager to please. "Yes, Hiashi-sama."_

_"Your brother has deserted us, too afraid to own up to responsibility and commitment."_

_Neji frowned as he tried to comprehend but ended up shaking his head. "I do not understand."_

_"It will be clear soon. You and I are going to visit Hanabi-chan." Hiashi walked out the door and into a limo and Neji struggled to follow._

_"Why are we going to the hospital?" he asked as the building loomed nearer. "Is Hanabi-chan alright?"_

_"No."_

_That had scared Neji enough to make him mute and wide-eyed as they proceeded into the lobby and up the stairs and into Hanabi's room. The poor thing was barely three and she was already hooked up to various machines emitting high-pitched beeps._

_Neji resisted the urge to cover his ears._

_"Hanabi-chan is very sick, Neji," Hiashi told him gently._

_"Will she get better?" he whispered back, watching Hanabi's weak breaths as she slept._

_"It is difficult to tell," his uncle confessed. "However, there is a chance that you are able to save her."_

_"I must!" decided Neji at once, wrinkling his brow determinedly._

_Hiashi smiled wryly. "What I am asking you is very serious. Would you be willing to help Hanabi recover?"_

_"Uncle, it is my duty, isn't it?" Neji blinked innocently at Hiashi, unaware of the consequences he would later be faced with. "To help the Main Family, it is the duty of a branch family."_

_"Your brother was too scared to carry through with this," Hiashi told him._

_"That was wrong of him!" Neji exclaimed._

_"If she lives, you will be praised greatly and remembered as a hero." Hiashi suddenly experienced a pang in his heart as he met Neji's hopeful gaze. It was despicable, really, how he had to sugarcoat the truth in order to beguile his nephew into cooperating. "But if she dies, you will have failed."_

_Neji gave his head a tiny shake. "No, she won't die!"_

_Hiashi nodded slowly, approvingly. "Let's make sure of it."_

_Tell me something that's sure to break my heart  
'cause everything's my fault  
And I know  
I deserve to be alone  
'cause everything's my fault_

_**~Fenix Tx 'All My Fault'**_

Neji was motionless but felt Tenten stiffen next to him and avert her eyes as they all heard the sickening crack of Hanabi's body hitting the concrete. Then all was silent as the wind whistled by, swirling around the spot that Hanabi had been just a moment before.

* * *

**a/n:** Eh, pretty depressing. I feel as if I could have written this better. It's so short and choppy because I left off and picked up several times while writing it. The chapter should have been much longer but I wanted the chapter to end here.

I always knew Hanabi was going to die right from the start of the story. If she didnt, then Neji would have to die instead and I don't think I could bring myself to do that.

Anyway, an OC is slowly making his appearance. I've added some plot hints. Anyone think they can guess who Haru really is?

And I know you're all wondering 'What brother? Neji has a brother?' Well, yeah, in this story he does. But more about him later.

As I keep writing, I realize how the genres really aren't very accurate. This is more of a Romance/Hurt/Comfort/Angst/Mystery/Family/Friendship/Drama story. But 'Generel' isn't nearly enough to contain it all. So I'll change it to Romance/Drama because things are about to get pretty dramatic. ;)

Oh, and for those thoughts in between Hanabi's final words, they can be interpreted as either Neji's or Hanabi's thoughts. Maybe even both? At first, I made them revolve around Neji's but I threw in some ambiguity to sort of see which perspective you guys would take. Maybe tell me in a review whose perspective you assumed it was in? ;)

Sorry for the rambly author's note!

REVIEW. I won't update until I get at least six reviews for this chapter. Those of you on my Story's Alert, review or not more chapters. ;)

Ahnyongg  
~Cel:D


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